THE  AMERICAN  LYCEUM 

BY 

CHARLIE  BROWN  HERSHEY 
B.  A.  University  of  Illinois,  1914 


THESIS 

Submitted  in  Partial  Fulfillment  of  the  Requirements  for  the 

Degree  of 

MASTER  OF  ARTS 
IN  EDUCATION 

IN 

THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
1921 


. 


Cv* 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL 


1 92 


I HEREBY  RECOMMEND  THAT  THE  THESIS  PREPARED  UNDER  MY 


SUPERVISION  BY 


Charlie  Brown  Hershey 


ENTI TLE D The  Ame rlo an  Lyoeum 


BE  ACCEPTED  AS  FULFILLING  THIS  PART  OF  THE  REQUIREMENTS  FOR 


^Required  for  doctor’s  degree  but  not  for  master’s 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/americanlyceumOOhers 


PREFACE 


The  souroe  material  for  a study  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum  is  found 
largely  in  the  Amerioan  Journal  of  Education,  1626-1530,  and  the  Annals  of 
Education,  1630-1539*  Several  references  are  made  to  the  movement  in  the 
Common  Sohool  Journal,  1639-1646,  and  in  the  Connecticut  Common  School 
Journal,  1635-1542.  Subsequent  articles  on  the  subject  have  been  taken 
very  largely  from  the  sources  indicated  above.  The  bibliography  indicates 
the  material  used,  and  the  extent  of  the  investigation  for  this  study,  but 
the  treatment  in  ohapters  II,  III  and  IV  is  based  almost  wholly  on  the  earlier 
Amerioan  Journal  of  Education  and  the  Annals  of  Education.  The  statements  and 
interpretations  of  later  secondary  works  have  been  given  careful  consideration. 


C.  B.  Hershey 


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CONTENTS 


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I.  Eduoational  CoQdltloris  in  Early  Nineteenth  Century* 


1.  Sohool  Conditions 

a.  No  Central  Authority 

b.  The  Distriot  System 
c • The  Aoademies 

d.  Sohools  not  regarded  as  institutions  or  agenoies  for  a moral 
and  intellectual  process  and  progress 

2.  Education  Societies 

a.  First  Sooiety  about  1796 

b.  Common  Sohool  Societies 

( 1 ) State  Societies 

(2)  Local  Societies 

c.  Mutual  and  Practical  Societies 

d.  Publishing  Societies 

e.  Societies  were  of  the  people 

II.  Historical . 

1.  Josiah  Holbrook  and  the  Amerioan  Lyceum 

a.  First  Lyceum  in  1£26 

b.  Growth  of  the  Movement 

2.  The  National  or  Amerioan  Lyceum 

a.  Organization 

b.  Annual  Meetings,  1&31-1#39 

3«  A National  Eduoational  Convention 
4-.  Summary 

III.  Organization  and  Program  > 

1.  Organization 

a.  Offioers 

b.  Objeots 

c.  Sooiety  Programs 

d.  Groups  in  Lyceums 

e.  Lyceums  for  Groups 

2.  Nature  of  Societies  and  their  work 

a.  Lyoeums  in  Middlesex  County,  Massachusetts 

b.  Visit  to  Lyceum  Meetings 

c.  Nature  of  the  Institution 
3 .Suumary 


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IV . The  American  Lyceum  and  Popular  Education 


1.  Educational  Program 

a.  Objects  of  Lyceum  Stated  by  Holbrook 

b.  National  Educational  Convention 

0.  Educational  Topios  in  Lyceum  Meetings 

2.  Testimonies  to  Educational  Program  of  Lyceums 

a*  By  Contemporaries 

b*  By  Later  Educational  Writers 

3.  The  Lyoeum  and  the  American  Institute  of  Instruction 
4*  The  Lyoeum  and  the  Common  Sohool  Revival 

5*  Testimony  of  Mann  and  Barnard 
6.  Summary  and  Conclusions 

Appendixes 

I.  The  Mddern  Lyceum  and  Chautauqua  Movement 

1.  List  of  Leoturers 

II.  List  of  Lyceums 

2.  List  of  Men  Associated  with  the  American  Lyceum 


Bibliography 


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Chapter  I 


Educational  Conditions  - Early  Nineteenth  Century. 

The  many  education  societies  of  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth 
oentury  testify  to  two  oonditions:  first,  there  was  an  unsatisfactory  educa- 
tional program;  and,  seoond,  there  was  a deliberate  and  persistent  demand  for 
better  opportunities  for  moral  and  intellectual  advancement.  There  had  been 
progress  in  education  from  the  earliest  New  England  settlements,  but  the  forward 
movement  was  relatively  slow.  Many  arts  had  advanced  with  comparative  rapidity. 
Industry  and  commerce  had  not  asked  in  rain  for  the  favorable  consideration  of 
the  people,  for  men  sohooled  themselves  to  become  leaders  in  almost  everything 
that  affeoted  the  condition  of  the  people.  But  teaohers  and  schools  waited  al- 
most in  vain  for  a benevolent  and  generous  support  of  their  peculiar  interest. 
There  was  agitation,  a ory,  but  frequently  no  language  but  a cry.  However,  as 
years  passed,  the  voice  became  more  artioulate  and  finally  succeeded  in  oalling 
with  sufficient  olarlty  to  seoure  the  outstanding  educational  revival  of  the 
third  and  fourth  deoades  of  the  nineteenth  oentury. 

Perhaps  the  most  conspicuous  fault  of  the  age,  a fault  of  omission, 
was  the  laok  of  any  centralized  and  responsible  sohool  authority.  Acting  upon 
the  provisions  of  those  early  units  for  education,-  the  school  distriot,-  eaoh 
local  community  sought  to  establish  educational  privileges  in  what  was  considered 
an  economical  way • This  meant  a limited  term  of  sohool,  a poorly  qualified 
teaoher  who  would  go  from  one  distriot  to  another  to  teaoh,  remaining  in  eaoh 
during  suoh  time  as  the  poverty  or  prejudice  of  the  people  of  the  distriot  would 
permit.  This  educational  oonvenienoe  beoame  an  established  and  acoepted 
educational  program.  It  was  written  into  law  in  Massachusetts  in  1759,  and 


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later.  In  1&17*  these  emergenoy  sohool  and  sooial  units  beoame  corporations 
with  all  the  authority  suggested  by  that  term.  Eduoat ionally,  these  small 
units  were  praotioally  independent  in  questions  of  money,  teaohers,  sohool  pro- 
grams, and  all  other  matters.  The  situation  Just  indicated  was  strikingly  true 
in  Massachusetts,  and  Martin,  in  his  Evolution  of  the  Massachusetts  Publio  Sohool 
System,  calls  the  situation,  "The  high-water  mark  of  modern  demooraoy,  and  the 
low-water  mark  of  the  Massachusetts  sohool  system." 

The  districts  beoame  oenters  of  politioal  activity,  and  the  oause  of 
education  suffered  aooordingly.  The  looation  and  size  of  the  sohool  house,  the 
employment  or  retention  of  a teaoher,  an  item  of  repair  to  building  or  furniture, 
beoame  a distriot  question,  and  frequently  children  remained  in  ignoranoe  while 
factions  gave  heated  expression  to  their  demands  for  justioe,  and  for  what  they 
oonsidered  a proper  consideration  of  their  rights.  And  the  distriot,  being  a 
law  unto  itself,  presented  a variety  of  procedures  as  numerous  as  the  distriots 
themselves.  Other  interests  than  those  mentioned  above  suffered  likewise  and 
for  the  same  reason.  One  writer  on  eduoat ion  in  reviewing  the  period  under 
consideration,  pays  his  oompliments  to  the  eduoational  provision  of  the  time  by 
saying:  "There  was  nothing  like  an  eduoational  system  in  the  United  States  at 
the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  oentury.  At  that  time  there  were  four  or  five 
oolleges,  here  and  there  a private  aoademy  or  fitting  sohool,  and  elementary 
sohools  of  indifferent  oharaoter  in  the  oities  and  the  thinly  settled  towns."1 

Another  bad  result  of  the  exolusive  looal  administration  and  supervision 
was  manifested  in  the  use  of  sohool  texts.  There  was  no  uniformity.  Horace  Mann 
reported  that  in  Massachusetts  more  than  three  hundred  different  kinds  of  texts 

were  used  in  the  publio  sohools.  No  one  had  authority  to  say  what  books  should 
be  used,  henoe,  the  people,  and  especially  the  children,  were  the  victims  of 


l.A.  S.  Draper,  Amerioan  Eduoat ion,  p.17* 


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the  publishers  whose  interests  were  sales  and  not  eduoation.  Then,  too,  there 
was  no  program  of  study  adopted  for  a suooession  of  years*  Saoh  teaoher  was  a 
law  unto  himself  and  adopted  and  used  the  program  that  met  mo$  fully  his  eduoa- 
tional  ideals,  or,  perhaps  more  truly,  his  eduoation&l  limitations*  Sohool 
programs  changed  with  a ohange  of  teaohers,  and  a ohange  of  sohool  texts  followed 
the  advent  of  a superior  salesman  of  that  particular  commodity. 

Out  of  this  ohaotio  and  undone  condition  there  developed  an  education- 
al agenoy  that  proved  to  have  in  it  the  elements  both  of  a blessing  and  a ourse. 
The  academy,  as  a distinot  institution,  has  a respectable  history  in  American 
educational  development*  It  came  in  response  to  a demand  on  the  part  of  some 
of  the  dearer  minds  for  sin  educational  institution  of  merit*  The  leaders  in 
any  aotivity  in  that  day  were  not  satisfied  with  the  offerings  made  by  the  publio 
free  sohools*  They  demanded  better  opportunities  for  their  ohildren*  Aooording- 
ly,  men  and  women  of  means  and  oulture  engaged  themselves  in  the  establishment 
of  semi -publio  academies*  These  were  for  the  ohildren  of  parents  who  oould  af- 
ford to  pay  a tuition  fee,  and  the  living  expenses  away  from  home*  There  were 
definite  advantages  in  these  sohools*  The  student  body  was  seleoted,  the  build- 
ings were  better  than  most  of  the  district  sohool  buildings,  the  teachers  were 
seleoted  with  greater  oare  and  on  a saner  educational  basis,  the  curriculum  was 


more  extensive  and  rioher  in  quality*  However  many  the  advantages  of  the  aoedemiep, 
Hr*  James  Gordon  Carter  pointed  out  that  they  tended  to  emphasize  olass  dis- 
tinctions, and  to  draw  a muoh  needed  influence  and  support  from  the  free  sohools. 
The  theoretical  democracy  provided  for  in  the  self-suff ioient  district  led  to 
a practical  olass  condition,  and  the  effort  to  make  every  man  feel  responsible 


for  education  by  the  oreation  of  small  districts  led  indireotly  to  a condition 
that  took  from  the  districts  the  most  wholesome  influence  and  the  sanest  moral 
support •1 

1*  Old  South  Leaflets  No*  139* 


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Another  reason  for  the  eduoational  limitations  of  the  times,  not  of 
minor  importanoe,  but  one  that  perhaps  did  not  reoeive  the  oonsiderat ion  it  de- 
served, was  the  fact  thf.it  eduoation,  as  suoh,  was  not  a subject  of  study  in  any 
formal  sense.  Men  and  women  were  taught,  but  they  were  not  taught  to  teaoh, 
and,  consequently,  they  went  into  the  sohool  room  with  subjeot  information,  but 
without  professional  skill.  The  colleges  and  universities  had  no  departments  of 
eduoation  or  courses  in  pedagogy.  The  sohool  as  a distriot  social  institution, 
and  eduoation  as  a deserving  and  commanding  interest,  were  soaroely  dreamed  of. 
The  inevitable  prevailed;  the  sohool  was  a kind  of  plaoe  for  the  dissemination 
of  a body  of  faots,  and  not  the  agenoy  of  a moral  and  intellectual  prooess  and 
program. 

But  the  period  under  consideration  was  marked  by  an  unusual  activity 
demanding  eduoational  improvement.  Henry  Barnard,  in  the  Amerioan  Journal  of 
£ ducat  ion,  says  that:  “Towards  the  end  of  that  period,  and  during  the  succeeding 
decade,  the  ferment  wrought  to  aotively  as  to  generate  a numerous,  heterogeneous 
brood  of  systems,  plans,  and  institutions  - many  crude  and  rudely  organized; 
many  that  did  their  work  quickly  and  well;  few  that  have  survived  in  any  form 
till  the  present  time."^  Anna  L.  Custis  makes  the  following  observation  of 
the  period:  “Along  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  oentury  just  dosed,  eduoation, 
always  a fad  of  the  Americans,  suddenly  beoame  a hobby.  All  sorts  of  societies 
were  organized  over  night,  societies  for  the  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge, 
mercantile  associations,  teachers'  seminaries,  literary  institutes,  book  dubs, 
societies  of  eduoation  - every  sort  of  sooiety  whose  name  sounded  learned  and 
eduoational.  Few  of  these  outlived  the  first  ten  years,  and  some  died  at  the 
time  of  their  birth.”1 2  Some  of  these  many  societies  were  definitely  organized 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.14,  p .535. 

2.  From  A Brief  History  of  the  Lyceum  in  Who's  Who  in  the  Lyceum,  1906. 


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to  advanoe  the  oause  of  publio,  free  sohools.  Others  were  designed  for  praotioal 
and  popular  eduoation  among  adults*  Still  others  oombined  the  two  rather  dis- 
tinot  objectives,  and  sought  by  regularly  appointed  publio  meetings  and  the 
press  to  disseminate  useful  knowledge  to  adults  and  to  oonduot  a propaganda  for 
better  common  schools* 

There  seems  to  be  no  occasion  in  thie  oonneotion  to  enter  into  a 
lengthy  disoussion  of  these  several  agenoies  for  oulture  and  intellectual  ad- 
vancement* However,  it  is  desirable  to  mention  a sufficient  number  to  indioate 
more  fully  the  speoifio  objectives  set  before  them.  In  the  annals  of  Kduoation 
under  the  heading,  "Origin  of  Sohool  Associations,"  is  the  following  statement: 
"The  first  associations  in  New  fngland  for  the  improvement  of  common  schools  - 
so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn  from  authentic  documents,  - was  formed  about 
forty  years  ago,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  in  Connecticut.  We  have  in  our 

possession,  a code  of  Kegulations  for  the  government  of  Conxcon  Schools. 

They  were  drawn  up,  as  we  believe,  by  the  first  president  of  the  association,  the 
late  Rev.  Wm.  Woodbridge,  father  of  the  editor  of  this  Journal,  and  for  more 
than  half  a oentury  a teaoher."1  This  voluntary  sohool  sooiety  not  only  drew  up 
a "Code  of  Regulations",  but  presented  them  to  the  visitors  and  overseers  of 
sohools  in  the  county  for  their  consideration,  and,  if  they  saw  fit,  for  their 
adoption. 

A Boston  Sohool  Society  was  organized  in  1527  "to  extend  the  advantages 
of  education  to  all  the  ohildren  of  the  poor  in  this  city."  This  was  a looal 
sooiety  and  was  created  to  meet  a looal  need  arising  from  the  influx  of  working 
people  from  various  quarters,  and  particularly  from  abroad,  whioh  brought  a 
numerous  class  of  uneducated  ohildren.  The  following  observation  was  made  by 
the  society  relative  to  the  oity  school  system:  "The  city  arrangements  do  not 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.6,p.474 ; the  date  was  1536. 


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and  oannot  embraoe  the  instruction  of  such  ohildren." 

The  Hartford  Society  for  the  Improvement  of  Common  Sohools  refers  to 

the  oommon  sohools,  or  eduoation,  as  a "moral  engine  of  sooial  happiness  and 

political  security."  This  sooiety  grew  out  of  a recognition  of  the  defeots 

in  the  oommon  sohool  program.  The  recognition,  however,  was  of  general  defects, 

and  the  sooiety  proposed  to  conduct  a campaign  of  inquiry  and  investigation  to 

ascertain  speoifioally  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  defeots.  It  was  soientifio 
2 

in  its  procedure.  The  plan  and  program  of  the  Hartford  Society  is  elaborated 
in  a later  volume  of  the  same  Journal."*  The  artiole  urges  the  importance  of 
organizing  societies  for  the  improvement  of  eduoation,  and  suggests  lines  of  in- 
vestigations to  be  followed  by  these  sooieties  as  follows: 

1.  Early  Eduoation  and  Infant  Sohools 

2.  Primary  Sohools 

3*  Sohool  Visitors  and  Inspectors 
4.  Text  boohs 

3.  Importation  of  European  Methods 

6.  Leotures  for  Teachers 

7.  Traots  for  Propaganda  Purposes. 

The  Ohio  State  Sooiety  for  Public  Instruction  announoed  the  following 
objeot:  "To  improve  fend  multiply  the  oommon  sohools  of  the  state,  and  to  obtain 
well  qualified  teachers."  The  governor  of  the  state  was  the  first  president.  It 
was  hoped  to  have  auxiliary  sooieties  in  every  county,  "oolleoting  the  statistics 
of  the  sohools,  suggesting  improved  methods  of  teaching,  and  the  best  boohs  for 
use." 1 2 *  4 

1.  Amer. Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.2,  p.315» 

2.  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.2,  p.37 S. 

3*  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.3>  p.7£. 

4.  Annals  of  Eduoation,  Vol.6,  p.l&2» 


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The  Illinois  Institute  of  Instruction  was  organized  at  Vandalia, 

Illinois , February  13 , 1 #33*  This  sooiety  presented  a list  of  twenty-two 
questions  to  be  submitted  to  friends  of  education,  teachers,  and  preaohersof 
the  gospel*  The  questions  dealt  primarily  with  oommon  sohool  education,  and  a 
few  sought  information  relative  to  libraries  and  general  oulture.  The  institute 
was  to  have  annual  meetings,  and  branoh  associations  in  counties  and  towns  were 
to  be  a part  of  the  organization.1 

The  Florida  Education  Sooiety  had  auxiliary  societies  in  olties  and 

oounties.2 3 

In  1631  the  Pennsylvania  Sooiety  for  the  Promotion  of  Public  Sohools, 
through  its  oounoil,  resolved  to  form  and  establish  a collection  of  works  in  the 
department  of  education*  This  was  done  in  anticipation  of  the  establishment  of  a 
general  system  of  public  sohools  by  the  legislature  of  the  state*  A oommittee  was 
appointed  to  examine  all  books  and  report  on  the  intrinsic  merits  of  eaoh  traatise 
and  its  adaptations  to  the  operations  of  public  sohools.^ 

It  was  reported  in  1631  that  sohool  conventions  were  held  in  the 
twelve  oounties  of  Vermont,  in  several  oounties  in  Massachusetts  and  New  York. 

"At  nearly  every  meeting  the  oitizens  manifested  much  interest,  intelligence, 
promptness  of  action,  unanimity,  and  simplicity  in  the  measures  adopted" 

The  sooiet iesimentioned  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs  are  a few  of  many 
similar  societies  of  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  oentury*  In  some  respeots 
they  were  like  educational  associations,  institutes,  and  conventions  today, but 
there  is  this  significant  difference,  that,  whereas,  we  now  have  as  members  of 
suoh  organizations  only  teachers  and  a few  others  who  are  direotly  related  to 
the  educational  activities  of  the  state  and  nation,  at  that  time  the  membership 

and  attendance  were  not  so  limited*  Frequently  reference  was  made  to  the 

1*  Annals  of  Education,  Vol*3,  p.165. 

2.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol*2,  p*94. 

3.  Amer. Journal  of  Education,  V0I.5,  p.23b. 

Annals  of  Education,  Vo  1.1,  p.126* 


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“friends  of  education,"  when  teachers  and  school  officials  were  not  in  the  minds 
of  those  mating  the  reference.  The  people  sought  better  opportunities  for 
intellectual  training  and  mental  development,  and  they,  through  their  leaders, 
expressed  their  desires  in  the  many  voluntary,  representative  societies  for  the 
advancement  of  oommon  schools. 

In  many  instances  attempts  were  made  to  supplement  the  meager  offerings 
of  the  oommon  sohools  by  societies  for  mutual  and  practical  instruction.  Among 
the  several  organizations  of  this  character  were  those  known  as  Meohanios ' Insti- 
tutes. This  particular  organization  had  a definite  European  background.  Professor 
John  Anderson,  professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  the  University  of  Glasgow, be- 
queathed his  valuable  philosophical  apparatus,  museum,  and  library  for  the  pur- 
pose of  popular  education.  A meohanios'  class  was  organized  in  the  Anderson 
Institute  which  was  chartered  in  1796.  This  olass  and  a similar  movement  in  the 
gas-light  oompany  of  Glasgow  were  in  a flourishing  condition  in  the  early 
twenties  of  the  nineteenth  oentury.  In  1S21  a few  gentlemen  in  Edinburg  began 
a movement  for  lectures  to  meohanios  on  the  meohanio  arts  and  chemistry.  A library 
was  provided.  The  lectures  were  to  be  twioe  eaoh  week  for  six  Months.  A sooiety 
was  formed  in  London  in  1S24,  and  lectures  were  delivered  on  Chemistry, Geometry, 
Hydrostatios,  Application  of  Chemistry  to  the  Arts,  Astronomy,  Eleotrioity,  and 
the  Frenoh  language.  About  one  thousand  belonged  to  the  institute.  There  were 
similar  institutions  in  almost  every  town  in  England  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants 
or  more,  and  in  some  of  muoh  smaller  numbers.*  The  celebrated  geometrician  and 
astronomer.  La  Plaoe,  addressed  a letter  to  the  president  of  the  London  Mechanics' 
Institute  in  whioh  he  oommended  the  organizations  very  highly. 

Meohanios'  Institutions  were  formed  in  Paris  under  the  direction  of 
Baron  Charles  Dupin,  and  in  other  cities  of  France  by  some  learned  professors.^ 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  1,  p.34. 

2.  Amer. Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  l,p.251. 


. 

. 


■ 


' 


9 


It  seems  that  they  were  very  popular  in  Franoe  as  well  as  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  In  1529  the  Massachusetts  Journal  reported  that  they  were  established 
in  ninety-four  towns  in  France,  and  that  recently  they  were  introduced  into 
Germany • 

The  Meohanios'  Institutes  in  America  were  very  similar  in  organization 
and  purpose  to  those  in  Europe.  They  were  organizations  of  adults  for  "mutual 
instruction  in  the  soienoes  as  oonneoted  with  the  meohanio  arts."1  The  ohief 
feature  of  the  public  meetings  of  the  institutes  was  a leoture  in  familiar  form 
and  terminology  on  the  theory  of  meohanios,  natural  philosophy,  ohemistry,  or 
some  other  helpful  subjeot  for  meohanios.  Horaoe  Mann,  in  his  third  annual 
report,  mentions  eight  meohanios  institutes  in  Massachusetts.  And,  again,  in 
the  Common  School  Journal,  1542,  he  speaks  of  the  superior  advantages  offered  to 
young  apprentices  in  the  meohanios'  institutes  “with  their  familiar  leotures  upon 
the  soienoes,  illustrated  with  apparatus."  In  addition  to  the  formal  leotures  in 
these  sooieties,  all  the  members  wers  urged  to  ask  questions  and  to  enter  into 
an  informal  disoussion  of  the  subject  presented. 

Another  kind  of  society  for  the  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge  devoted 
its  efforts  to  publications.  Through  the  printed  page  an  attempt  was  made  to 
impart  useful  and  helpful  information.  The  objeot  of  the  General  Knowledge 
Sooiety  indicates  rather  fully  the  ends  sought  by  the  publishing  organizations. 

It  was  the  "publication  of  approved  works  with  speoial  regard  to  their  moral 
and  religious  tendenoy,  but  will  include  works  on  moral,  religious,  historical, 

p 

soientifio,  and  miscellaneous  subjeots."  In  the  general  sooieties  subjects  of 
a controversial  and  exclusive  character  were  oarefully  shunned. 

In  the  first  oopy  of  the  Youth's  Companion,  April  16,  1527,  sohool  im- 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.2,p.l57. 

2.  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.l,  p.56. 


10 


provement  is  given  as  one  of  the  subjects  whioh  the  new  publication  was  founded 
to  disouss  helpfully*  On  the  third  page  of  that  same  issue  there  appeared  an 
artiole,  "Hints  on  Education* 11  And  ever  since  1527  that  interest  has  found  con- 
tinuous expression.4 

The  Amerioan  Education  Society  whose  interests  were  represented  in 
its  publication.  The  Quarterly  Register,  was  designed  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  financially  young  men  who  desire  to  prepare  for  the  ministry.  Five 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  young  men  from  nineteen  states  and  territories  and  from 
four  or  five  different  denominations  were  assisted  by  the  society.  They  were 
aided  in  sixty  different  educational  institutions. 

In  addition  to  the  societies  indicated  above  and  many  others  of  a 
similar  character,  the  period  under  consideration  marks  the  beginning  of  an 
educational  literature  in  periodio  form.  Chief  among  the  few  was  the  Amerioan 
Journal  of  Education,  1526-1531,  whioh  was  succeeded  by  the  Annals  of  Education, 
1531-1539.  These  journals  constituted  a part  of  the  propaganda  for  better  and 
bigger  opportunities  in  education. 

Altogether  the  demand  was  sincere  and  widespread.  It  was  a period  in 
whioh  were  mingled  two  of  the  three  neoessary  steps  to  seoure  a desired  publio 
goal.  It  was  a time  of  agitation  and  investigation,  and  this  was  followed  logical- 
ly and  inevitably  by  a period  of  legislation.  There  were  leaders  during  this 
period  of  propaganda,  and  to  them  is  due  great  credit  for  effecting  a change 
of  sentiment  and  conduct.  But  great  weight  was  added  by  the  many  who  beoame 
interested  through  the  leaders  and  formed  themselves  into  groups,  societies, eto. , 
to  make  known  in  a sort  of  oonoerted  aotion  the  feelings  of  the  people  toward  an 
educational  reform.  At  no  other  time  in  the  history  of  Amerioan  education  wasthere 
suoh  an  impaot  of  sentiment  springing  up,  as  it  were,  from  the  rank  and  file  of 


1.  Leoture  at  University  of  Tennessee,  Warren  Dunham  Foster,  July  11,  1913. 


' 


; 


- 

- 


11 


the  people*  Subsequent  advancement  has  resulted  more  largely  from  the 
aotivitles  of  teaohers,  and  eduoators  by  profession,  but  in  the  early  years  of 
the  nineteenth  oentury,  the  leaders  were  effectively  seoonded  in  their  efforts 
by  the  oitizenship  in  general* 


‘ 


. 


12 


Chapter  II 
Historical . 

Among  the  many  agenoies  designed  to  advance  educational  activities  in 
the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  American  Lyoeum  oooupied  a promi- 
nent place.  It  developed  from  inoonspiouous  origins,  but  grew  rapidly  and  pros- 
pered during  a period  of  about  fifteen  years  beginning  in  1526.  The  founder  and 
promoters  were  ambitious  and  planned  a sort  of  universal  conquest  of  ignoranoe 
and  vice.  It  was  part  of  a general  ory  for  better  educational  equipment  and 
opportunity.  It  was  rather  definite  and  comprehensive  in  its  program,  providing 
for  the  moral  and  intellectual  development  of  all  the  members  of  a community. 

The  founder  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum,  Josiah  Holbrook,  son  of  Col. Daniel 
Holbrook,  of  Derby,  Conneotiout,  a veteran  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  was  born  in 
1756,  entered  Yale  University  in  1606,  and  was  graduated  in  1610.  In  1620  he 
took  oharge  of  his  father's  farm  at  Derby,  and  began  a sohool  there  in  1624  for 
the  purpose  of  praotioal  instruction  in  agriculture,  combining  aotual  farming 
with  instruction.  It  was  a private  venture,  not  well  baoked  financially,  henoe 
did  not  oontinue  long.  In  Ootober,  1626,  Mr.  Holbrook  prepared  a statement  for 
the  American  Journal  of  Education  in  which  he  announced  and  outlined  his  plan  for 
"Association  of  Adults  for  Mutual  Education."  In  this  statement  is  embodied  the 
plan  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum. 

In  November,  1526,  Mr.  Holbrook  delivered  a oourse  of  lectures  at 
Millbury,  Massachusetts,  on  subjects  in  natural  soience,  at  the  dose  of  whioh 
he  induoed  thirty  or  forty  of  his  hearers,  farmers  and  mechanics  of  the  place, 
to  organise  themselves  into  a society  for  mutual  Improvement  whioh,  at  his  request 


' 


. 


- 

■ 


r ill 


* 


13 


was  oalled  “Millbury  Lyoeum,  Number  1,  Branoh  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum."  The 
organization  of  this  first  lyoeum  was  followed  very  soon  by  the  organization 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  other  town  lyoeums,  and  these  were  then  organized  into  the 
Woroester  County  Lyoeum.  The  lyoeum  of  Windham  County,  Conneotiout,  and  its 
constituent  town  lyoeums,  were  also  organized  shortly  afterward. 

Thus  began  the  development  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum,  a movement  embodied 
in  a tangible  and  workable  organization.  It  grew  rapidly  and  extended  widely. 

In  Ootober,  1626,  some  fifty  or  sixty  branohes  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum  had  been 
organized.  In  1629  branohes  had  been  formed  in  nearly  every  state  in  the 
Union.  In  two  instances  it  reoeived  the  patronage  of  states  with  a view  to 
making  it  a board  of  education  and  a means  to  extend  the  usefulness  of  sohools. 
In  February,  1529,  a meeting  was  held  in  the  representatives'  hall,  Boston, 
consisting  of  members  of  the  legislature  and  other  gentlemen,  to  oonsult  upon 
the  state  of  eduoation  in  the  oommonwealth,  and  on  those  associations  for  pro- 
moting it,  denominated  lyoeums.  It  was  resolved,  “that  we  regard  the  formation 
and  suocess  of  Lyoeums  as  oaloulated  to  exert  a oonspiouous  influence  upon  the 
interests  of  popular  education  and  of  literature  and  soienoe  generally,  and 
that  it  be  recommended  to  the  sohool  teaohers  in  the  several  towns  to  oonneot 
themselves  with  Lyceums,  and  form  a distinot  class  or  division  for  their  ap- 
propriate pursuit s.“ 

A convention  of  the  friends  of  eduoation  was  held  at  Utioa,  New  York, 
on  January  13th,  1531,  with  delegates  present  from  twenty-two  counties.  Governor 
Yates  addressed  the  oonvention.  This  convention  resolved  itself  into  a state 
lyoeum.  At  the  request  of  the  New  York  State  Lyceum,  delegates  and  other  friends 
of  eduoation  assembled  in  the  oity  of  New  York  on  May  4th,  1531,  to  organize 
a National  Lyoeum.  Annual  meetings  of  the  National  or  American  Lyceum  were  held 
during  a period  of  nine  years,  dosing  in  a National  Educational  Convention 


. 


* 


, 


14 


in  Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia,  November  22,  1539.  No  reoord  seems  to  have 
been  left  to  relate  the  oause  of  the  rather  sudden  oeseation  of  aotivities  of 
the  National  Lyceum. 

The  ohief  hietorioal  interest  of  the  movement  oenters  in  the  annual 
meetings  of  the  national  organization.  The  following  skeleton  of  faots  indioates 
very  briefly  the  fortunes  of  the  national  movement.  The  plaoe  and  time  of  meet- 
ings, the  number  of  delegates  present,  and  the  president  are  indioated: 

New  York,  May  4,1531 
23  delegates  present 

President,  Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  Albany,  N.Y. 

New  York,  May  4,1$32 
55  delegates  present 
President,  J.  Griscom,  LL.D. 

New  York,  May  3,  1533 
75  delegates  present 

President,  W.A.  Duer,  President  of  Columbia  College. 

New  York,  May  2,  1534 

64  delegates  present 

President,  W.  A.  Duer,  President  of  Columbia  College. 

New  York,  May  5 , 1535 

50  delegates  present 

President  W.  A.  Duer,  President  of  Columbia  College. 

New  York,  May  6,  1536 

51  delegates  and  members  present 

President,  W.  A.  Duer,  President  of  Columbia  College. 

Philadelphia,  May  5,  1537 

65  delegates  present 

President,  Rev.  G.W.Ridgley,  of  Pennsylvania 

Hartford,  Conneotiout,  May  15,  1535 
Presiding,  Rev.  T.H.Gallaudett . 

New  York,  May  3>  1539 

Plans  for  National  Educational  Convention. 

Philadelphia,  November  22,1539 

Meeting  of  National  Educational  Convention. 


■ 


’ 


. 


. 


- 


' 


15 


To  indioate  more  fully  the  oharaoter  and  extent  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum 
as  represented  in  the  annual  meetings,  the  following  condensed  statements  are 
made*  As  suggested,  these  do  not  in  any  way  present  the  many  lines  of  thought 
and  aotivity  advanoed  and  proposed  in  the  several  meetings,  but  offer  rather  a 
guide  for  an  appreciation  of  the  historioal  aspects  of  the  movement. 

In  the  first  meeting  the  extent  of  the  movement  was  set  forth  in  the 
provision  made  for  representation.  Every  seotion  of  the  Union  was  to  be 
represented  in  the  local  lyoeums  already  organized  or  to  be  organized  under  the 
direction  of  the  oentral  agency,  and  these  looal  societies  were  then  to  be  re- 
presented in  the  national  meetings.  This  very  general  representation  was  to 
provide  a means  for  collecting  information  relative  to  educational  activities 
and  general  culture,  and  also  to  seoure  a group  of  interested  people  in  every 
community  who  would  make  an  impaot  upon  legislative  and  administrative  bodies 
for  the  purpose  of  advancing  educational  activities.  The  lyoeum  was  a voluntary 
association,  or  an  advisory  body,  and  resorted  to  no  law,  nor  to  any  other  power 

but  evidence,  and  the  power  of  motives 

In  the  seoond  annual  meeting  a number  of  pupils  from  the  New  York  City 

publio  schools  were  examined.  This  was  before  the  day  of  mental  tests  and  the 
determination  of  mental  age  by  means  of  tests,  but  it  was  a day  in  whioh  school 
systems  were  examined*  This  examination,  like  most  of  those  at  that  time,  was 
to  determine  the  efficiency  of  the  sohool,  and  to  demonstrate  the  most  acceptable 
means  of  advancing  ohildren  in  the  ways  of  learning. 

Provision  was  made  at  this  seoond  meeting  to  seoure  permanent  moral 
and  increased  financial  support.  An  individual  might  become  a life  director 
of  the  institution  on  payment  of  $100.00;  life  member  on  payment  of  $20.00;  and 
an  annual  member  on  paying  $3.00  annually.  The  executive  oomittee  was  requested 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.l,  p.273 


1 - 


. 

' 

■ 


16 


to  prepare  a monthly  paper  of  four  to  eight  pages  for  the  purpose  of  oiroulating 
information  on  the  subjeot  of  lyoeums.  At  about  this  time  Mr.  Holbrook  began 
publishing  a weekly  paper  oalled"Ihe  Family  Lyoeum."1 2 

The  diversified  interests  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum  axe  shown  in  the  sub- 
jeots  disoussed  in  the  third  annual  meeting,  and,  incidentally,  the  lyoeum  is 
shown  as  a pioneer  in  oertain  important  fields  of  oulture.  Meteorology  was  dis- 
oussed, and  sohools  and  lyoeums  were  urged  to  oooperate  with  the  national  organiza- 
tion to  seoure  data  on  this  subjeot.  Manual  labor,  as  oonneoted  with  sohools, 
was  disoussed,  and  the  oonolusion  reaohed  that  manual  labor  in  sohools  was  a very 
desirable  feature.  A report  on  vooal  musio  as  a part  of  the  oommon  school  program 
urged  its  import anoe  as  a reoreation  and  as  a means  of  giving  moral  and  religious 
instruotion.  The  establishment  of  a national  oabinet  of  natural  history  in  New 
York  was  advooated.  Mr.  Holbrook  advocated  a oabinet  of  natural  history  for 
eaoh-  of  the  looal  lyoeums.  Systematic  benevolence  in  sohools  and  lyoeums  was 
reoonanended.  The  measures  and  probable  success  of  the  Colonization  Sooiety  were 
disoussed.  The  above  are  only  a few  of  the  subjeots  discussed  in  the  meeting  of 
1&33#  but  they  show  that  the  leaders  of  the  movement  were  abreast  of  their  time, 
and,  in  some  instances,  ahead  of  their  time. 

A report  to  this  meeting  from  the  Boston  Lyceum  oontains  the  following: 
"From  a comparatively  small  society,  it  has  beoome,  during  the  short  period  of 

2 

about  four  years,  one  of  the  most  popular  and  useful  associations  in  the  city." 

The  Boston  Lyoeum  conducted  an  aggressive  program  of  leotures  and 
general  disoussions. 

At  the  third  meeting  mention  was  first  made  of  appointing  one  or  more 
agents  to  promote  the  objeot*  of  the  lyoeum.  At  subsequent  meetings  committees 
were  appointed  to  seoure  an  agent  or  agents  and  to  provide  means  for  their  work. 


1.  Annals  of  Eduoation,  Vol.2,  p.27£. 

2.  Annals  of  Eduoation,  Vol.3>  p .343. 


- 


■ 

' 


17 

but  it  seems  that  suoh  agents  were  never  appointed. 1,1 

In  the  fourth  meeting  measures  were  taken  for  the  extension  of  the 
society’s  operations  and  connections  by  the  formation  of  departments  and  classes 
of  soienoe,  literature  and  the  arts.  Men  of  soienoe  and  letters  were  invited 
to  cooperate.  This  departmental  idea  and  organization  was  oarried  into  the  looal 
societies  and  provided  there  for  group  meetings  to  discuss  topios  that  were 
particularly  related  to  the  interests  of  the  group  members. 

The  establishment  of  a oentral  school  for  teachers  was  one  of  the  out- 
standing subjeots  for  disoussion  in  1 £34.  This  was  not  the  first  time  the  sub- 
ject was  considered,  but  it  reoeived  more  serious  and  extensive  consideration 
in  this  meeting  than  at  any  earlier  time.  Among  other  subjeots  discussed  were. 
The  Monitorial  System,  Corporal  Punishment,  Natural  History  and  Ancient  Languages 
in  the  Common  Sohools. 

This  meeting  urged  the  importance  of  oloser  cooperation  among  all  the 

looal  organizations  by  providing  for  representation  in  the  annual  meetings, 

either  by  the  presence  of  delegates  or  a report  on  the  state  and  condition  of 
2 

their  societies. 

Miss  Catherine  E.  Beecher,  of  Ohio,  read  an  essay  before  the  fifth 
annual  meeting,  on  The  Education  of  Female  Teachers,  and  it  provoked  considerable 
oomment  favorable  to  female  education  in  general.  A series  of  resolutions  ex- 
pressed the  conviction  that  the  education  of  women  deserved  a more  prominent 
plaoe  in  the  thought  of  American  educational  leaders. 

Resolutions  encouraging  the  lyoeum  movement  in  the  South  were  adopted. 
Arrangements  were  to  be  made  to  hold  a special  meeting  there  at  a time  during 
the  yefcr  most  convenient  to  the  friends  of  the  lyceum  in  that  part  of  the  country. 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.3,  p.345. 

2.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.4,p.279» 


' 


i 


- 

* 


IS 


A few  of  the  topios  reviewed  are  with  us  still  and  appear  in  modified 
form  in  educational  meetings  today.  Among  them  are:  1.  What  improvements  are 
necessary  in  the  laws  of  the  state  in  relation  to  oommon  sohools,  2.  How  may 
our  thinly  settled  districts  be  best  supplied  with  the  means  of  education. 

3.  How  may  the  application  of  soienoe  to  the  arts  of  life  be  best  taught  in 
the  oommon  sohools. 

Favorable  aotion  was  taken  on  reports  of  educational  endeavors  in  New 
Granada,  and  a oommittee  was  appointed  to  ascertain  by  what  means  education  in 
New  Granada  might  be  promoted  by  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum.  Reports  were  reoeived  at 
different  times  from  other  foreign  countries, including  Mexioo,  Cuba,  Venezuela, 
and  attempts  were  made  to  relate  the  lyoeum  program  to  educational  endeavor 
everywhere*  1 

By  a provision  of  the  constitution  of  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum  the  annual 
meetings  were  to  be  held  in  New  York  City,  but  during  the  year  preceding  the 
sixth  meeting  there  was  a development  that  suggested  the  wisdom  of  an  amendment. 
There  was  an  unusual  growth  of  interest  in  the  movement  in  Pennsylvania  during 
the  year  and  the  leaders  thought  it  expedient  to  recognize  and  encourage  the  new 
section  by  holding  the  annual  meeting  in  Philadelphia.  Accordingly,  provision 
was  made  by  amending  the  constitution  to  enable  them  to  hold  the  meetings  “at 
such  time  and  place  as  the  preceding  annual  meeting  shall  have  deoided.1* 

In  this  meeting  a pronouncement  was  made  on  the  subject  of  divisive 
topios.  By  a resolution  it  was  provided  that  no  reference  was  to  be  made 
in  any  reports  or  essays  either  to  the  sectarian  peculiarities  of  any  religious 
denomination  or  the  party  politios  of  the  day.  If  any  suoh  allusion  appeared, 

I 

the  executive  oommittee  was  direoted  to  omit  the  paragraphs  oontdning  them. 

The  same  sentiment  was  expressed  in  reporting  the  organization  of  a lyoeum  in 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.5>  p.267 


. 


- 


* 

. 


19 


Baltimore  in  whioh  people  of  all  religious  faiths  and  all  politioal  parties  co- 
operated for  the  oommon  moral  and  intelleotual  good  of  the  oity. 

A very  clear  understanding  of  what  constitutes  a normal  procedure  is 
evinoed  in  the  resolution  "that  the  enaotment  of  wise  laws  in  favor  of  education 
is  very  important,  out  that  popular  cooperation  is  of  paramount  importance,  and 
may  better  be  in  advance  of  laws  than  behind  them."  The  foregoing  resolution 
enforoes  previous  suggestions  that  the  movement  was  of  the  people,  and  that  it 
sought  to  oreate  through  the  people  an  insistent  demand  for  better  praotioal 
and  oultural  advantages.^ 

Before  the  meeting  in  Philadelphia  in  May,  1S37,  Congress  had  provided 
for  a distribution  of  the  surplus  revenue  to  the  several  states.  The  American 
Lyoeum  at  this  time,  and  later,  advised  that  larger  expenditure  of  available 
funds  be  made  for  education.  In  keeping  with  that  general  policy  one  of  the 
questions  disoussed  was,  "What  principle  should  be  adopted  by  a state  in  ap- 
propriating its  share  of  the  surplus  revenue  for  the  support  of  education?" 

The  seventh  annual  meeting  was  rather  ambitious  in  presenting  a memorial 
to  Congress  to  make  an  appropriation  to  seoure  simultaneous,  extensive,  and  sys- 
tematic observations  to  disoover  laws  which  govern  the  weather.  This  was  urged 
for  the  general  good,  but  especially  for  the  benefit  of  the  farmer,  meohanio,  and 
mariner. 

One  other  interesting  feature  of  this  meeting  which  is  to  be  found  in 
several  of  the  others,  was  a self-oongratulatory  resolution.  The  oonviotion  was 
expressed  that  no  institution  has  ever  been  established  so  well  calculated  to 
allay  party  exoitements,  and  to  unite  all  classes  of  oitizens  upon  the  great 

and  important  subject  of  education.  The  great  advantage  was  to  fall  also  direotly 

2 

to  the  individual  and  to  the  community  generally. 

1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.6,  p.2t>9* 

2.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.7,  p.3l£. 


' 


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■’ A J0 


20 


By  a vote  of  the  society  in  Philadelphia,  the  eighth  annual  meeting 
was  held  in  Hartford,  Conneotiout,  in  May,  1S3#.  Two  rather  interesting  subjeots 
were  disoussed  at  Hartford*  First,  there  was  a consideration  of  the  question  of 
the  embellishment  and  improvement  of  the  towns  and  villages,  and  the  advantage 
such  improvement  would  be  to  the  cause  of  intelligence  and  morality.  This  pro- 
gram feature  in  the  field  of  aesthetios  is  further  evidenoe  that  the  lyoeum  was  a 
whole-man  and  whole-community  endeavor.  Seoond,  the  influence  of  Europe  is  seen 
definitely  as  a part  of  the  thought  of  the  leaders  of  the  lyoeum.  There  was  a 
lecture  on  "Principles  of  the  Prussian  Bystem  of  education  which  are  applicable 
to  the  condition  of  the  United  States."  An  essay  and  message  from  Rev.  Wra.C. 
Woodbridge,  in  Switzerland,  were  read. 

In  several  earlier  meetings  the  question  of  Bible  and  religious  in- 
struction in  the  oommon  sohools  was  considered,  and  always  favorably.  The  lyoeum 
favored  most  heartily  the  free,  publio  school,  but  the  leaders  were  still  under 
the  influence  of  the  religious  spell  of  an  earlier  day.  In  this  eighth  meeting 
a resolution  was  adopted  expressing  the  oonviotion  "that  the  use  of  the  Bible  in 
our  popular  systems  of  education,  as  a text  booh  of  moral  and  religious  in- 
struction, is  regarded  by  the  lyoeum  as  indispensable."1 

The  ninth  and  last  annual  meeting  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum  was  held  in 
New  York,  May,  1^39*  Apparently  the  sessions  were  devoted  largely  to  a dis- 
oussion  of  plans  for  the  proposed  National  Educational  Convention.  Professor 
Charles  Brooks  of  Massachusetts  offered  the  resolutions  providing  for  the  con- 
vention, and  they  were  maturely  considered  and  unanimously  adopted.  In  no 
previous  meeting  did  the  interest  in  education  seem  so  comprehensive.  This 
interest  is  brought  out  in  the  list  of  questions  below,  many  of  which  are  much 
like  the  questions  disoussed,  perhaps  in  a modified  form,  in  educational  oircles 


1 .Annals  of  Education,  Vol.S,p.2£0 


■ 


. 


,■> 


. 


21 


today.  Most  of  the  topios  listed  in  the  following  questions  were  discussed  in 

one 

earlier  meetings  of  the  lyceum,  but  at  no  time  were  they  brought  together  as  in 
this  last  meeting.  The  list  follows: 

1.  How  many  children  are  there  in  eaoh  state  who,  according  to  the  laws 
of  that  state,  should  be  under  instruction? 

2.  How  many  of  this  number  are  found  in  the  sohools? 

3.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  oommon  sohools  in  each  state? 

4.  What  is  the  organization  of  the  school  system? 

5*  What  branohes  of  knowledge  should  be  taught  in  our  oommon  schools? 

6.  What  should  be  the  character  of  our  oommon  school  books? 

7.  How  may  school  apparatus  and  sohool  libraries  be  made  most  useful? 

5.  In  what  branohes  should  instruction  be  given  orally,  and  in  what 

degree? 

9*  What  should  be  the  qualifications  of  teaohers? 

10*  Are  normal  sohools  (or  seminaries  for  the  preparation  of  teachers) 

desirable? 

11.  On  what  plan  should  they  be  established? 

12.  Is  a central  normal  sohool  for  the  Union  desirable? 

13*  Should  it  be  under  the  direction  of  Congress  or  a society  of 

citizens? 

14.  What  oonneotion  sho uld  the  oommon  sohools  have  with  aoademies, 
colleges,  and  universities? 

15.  What  models  for  sohool  houses  are  best? 

16.  Will  a "Board  of  Education",  established  by  each  state,  afford 
the  best  supervision,  and  secure  the  highest  improvement  of  the  sohools? 

IT.  How  can  itinerant  teaohers  and  lecturers  best  supply  destitute 


plaoes? 


. 

- 


■* 


22 


1&»  Is  a national  system  of  instruction  desirable? 

19»  How  should  a sohool  fund  be  applied? 

20.  In  what  part  of  each  state  has  the  greatest  progress  been  made 
in  elementary  education? 

21.  How  may  sohool  statistics,  whioh  must  be  the  basis  of  legislation, 
be  most  easily  oolleoted? 

22.  What  features  of  the  systems  now  in  operation  in  Holland, 

Germany,  Prussia,  Franoe,  and  Great  Britain,  may  be  most  usefully  adopted 
in  this  oountry? 

The  above  list  of  questions  together  with  an  address  to  the  governors 
of  the  several  states  and  the  publio  in  general  were  prepared  and  reported  by 
Theodore  Frelinghuysen  of  New  Jersey,  Charles  Brooks  of  Massachusetts,  John 
Grisoom  of  Pennsylvania,  Henry  R.  Sohooloraft  of  Miohigan,  and  Theodore  Dwight, 
Jr.,  of  New  York.1 2 

The  National  Educational  Convention  provided  for  in  the  ninth  annual 
meeting  of  the  lyoeum  met  in  Philadelphia,  November  22,  1639.  It  was  ambitious 
in  its  program  and  showed  large  faith  in  its  askings.  Among  other  resolutions 
was  one  asking  that  the  Smithsonian  legaoy  be  appropriated  at  an  early  date  to 
the  oause  of  education;  another  resolution  asked  for  the  appropriation  of  money 
from  the  sale  of  publio  lands  for  eduoation;  still  another  urged  the  legisla- 
tures of  the  several  states  to  make  early  provision  for  a system  of  general 
educat ion  whereby  free  and  common  sohools  may  be  made  accessible  to  all,  and 
the  governors  of  the  several  states  were  requested  to  direct  their  messages  in 
favor  of  popular’  eduoation.  State  conventions  on  eduoation  were  urged,  and  a 

O 

general  national  convention  was  called  to  meet  in  Washington  in  May,  1S40. 

After  reviewing  the  several  meetings  of  the  lyoeum  and  referring  to  the 

1.  Annals  of  Eduoation,  Vol.9,  p.421. 

2.  Amer.  Journal  of  Eduoation,  Vol.14,  p.535. 


■ ■ ] 


> 


' 


. 


v 


. 

. 


23 


educational  convention  in  Philadelphia,  Henry  Barnard  makes  the  following  ob- 
servations: "This  ended,  it  is  believed,  as  far  as  all  public  aotion  was  con- 
cerned, the  operations  of  the  'Amerioan  Lyceum.'  Under  the  discouragements  and 
difficulties  attending  an  imperfeot  organization,  want  of  sympathy  and  hearty 
cooperation,  want  of  authority  and  want  of  funds,  it  had  done  what  it  oould.  The 
defects  of  the  system  of  which  it  was  a part,  and  whioh  it  advocated,  the  en- 
deavors to  remedy  them,  and  the  attendant  disoussions  and  experiments,  tended 
strongly  to  develop  and  introduce  better  systems  and  the  use  of  better  means. 

Out  of  these  early  lyoeum  movements  originated  many  permanent  educational 
libraries  and  lecture  associations,  as  well  as  innumerable  looal  improvements 
in  the  organization,  instruction  and  discipline  of  sohools,  public  and  private."1 2 

No  attempt  is  made  here  to  give  the  history  of  any  of  the  local,  county, 
or  state  lyceums.  In  Appendix  II  is  a partial  list  of  the  societies  indicating 
the  looation  and  the  speoial  interest  of  a few  of  them.  However,  the  fore- 
going presentation  of  the  activities  of  the  American  Lyceum  reflects  rather 
fully  the  interests  represented  in  the  meetings  of  the  lyceums  in  the  states, 
oounties,  and  towns. 

No  story  of  the  propaganda  for  better  facilities  for  moral,  phyeioal, 

and  intellectual  development  in  the  seoond  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century 

would  be  complete  without  a chapter  presenting  the  work  and  dreams  of  the 

Amerioan  Lyceum.  Its  annual  meetings  were  held  in  the  centers  of  inf luence,and 

one  of  the  leading  educational  journals  of  that  time  devoted  considerable  space 

2 

to  its  plans  and  programs.  It  was  a part,  and  a large  part,  of  that  neoessary 
period  of  agitation  and  preparation.  With  lyceums  in  every  state,  and  a total 
of  about  three  thousand  in  the  United  States  in  1S34-  some  appreciation  of  its 
influence  is  forced  upon  the  student  of  the  times  ? The  variety  of  subjects 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.14,  p «535. 

2.  Annals  of  Education. 

3*  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.5,  p.H70. 


- 


J 


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' 


■ 


discussed  and  interests  espoused,  as  presented  in  the  foregoing  pages,  are 


24 


further  testimony  of  the  breadth  and  sincerity  of  the  promoters  of  the  move- 
ment • 


;!  5 


25 

Chapter  III 

Organization  and  Program. 

The  Amerioan  Lyoeum  flourished  before  the  day  of  highly  specialized 
sooieties.  The  men  who  promoted  its  aotivities  looked  over  almost  the  entire 
field  of  human  endeavor  and  enterprise,  and  sought  to  offer  mankind  an  organiza- 
tion that  would  provide  for  him  not  only  encouragement  but  aotual  benefits  for 
his  labor  and  leisure.  According  to  the  pronouncements  of  the  leaders  of  the 
movement,  man  is  oapable  of  entering  into  a constantly  enlarging  and  richer  ex- 
perience. He  requires  some  contributing  agency  to  direot  him  and  to  provide  for 
mutual  associations  of  general  helpfulness.  The  Amerioan  Lyceum  was  designed 
to  supplement  each  man's  laok,  so  that  by  a proper  cooperation  of  the  several 
leaders  of  thought  in  a community  there  might  be  a mutual  exchange  of  attainments, 
and  a dissemination  to  those  who  seemed  to  laok  most  the  fruit  of  knowledge.  Mr. 
Holbrook,  the  founder  of  the  lyceum  movement,  assumed  that  there  were  many  men 
interested  in  the  advancement  of  intellectual  and  moral  values,  but  knew  that  no 
provision  was  made  for  them  to  exohange  ideas  and  promote  those  designed  to  serve 
mankind  most  effectively. 

The  formation  of  a looal  lyoeum  was  a very  simple  matter.  One  enthusiast 
suggested  that  where  the  members  of  a family  met  for  the  discussion  of  some  worthy 
topio,  there  was  a lyceum;  or  when  two  people  met  to  disouss  somewhat  formally 
some  topic  for  the  general  good,  there  was  a lyceum.  The  institution  we  are 
disoussing  was  not  quite  so  simple.  As  a first  step  in  the  organization,  a few 
influential  individuals  would  take  it  upon  themselves  to  oall  a public  meeting. 


. 


i 

■ 


. 


. 


26 

to  which  all  olasses  should  be  invited.  At  this  meeting  a plain,  familiar 
address  would  be  given  by  some  one  seleoted  for  the  oocasion,  to  present  the 
nature,  use,  and  advantages  of  the  lyceum,  its  effect  upon  schools,  the  manu- 
facturing and  meohanio  arts,  as  well  as  their  salutary  and  more  general  effeot 
upon  the  moral  and  intellectual  welfare  of  the  community  at  large.  At  the  olose 
of  the  meeting  both  men  and  women  would  be  invited  to  unite  in  the  formation  of 
a lyceum.  A oommittee  would  be  ohosen  to  prepare  a constitution  and  to  take  any 
other  steps  neoessary  to  get  the  society  well  on  its  way.  Another  meeting  would 

be  appointed  for  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  and  to  oomplete  the  organiza- 
1 

tion. 

In  the  artiole  in  which  Mr.  Holbrook  suggested  the  organization  of 
associations  for  mutual  and  praotioal  eduoation  he  indicated  what  he  considered 
to  be  a proper  list  of  officers  together  with  their  duties.  "The  offioers  of 
each  branch  of  the  sooiety  shall  be  a President,  Yioe  President,  Treasurer, 
Recording  and  Corresponding  Secretaries,  five  Curators,  and  three  Delegates,  to 
meet  delegates  from  other  branches  of  the  sooiety  in  the  same  county.  The 
President,  Vioe  President,  Treasurer,  and  Recording  Secretary  shall  perform  the 
duties  usually  implied  in  those  offioes.  The  Corresponding  Secretaries  shall 
make  communications  to  eaoh  other  for  the  benefit  of  the  sooiety,  as  discoveries, 
improvements,  or  other  oiroumstances  shall  require.  The  Curators  shall  have 
charge  of  the  library,  apparatus,  oabinet,  and  all  other  property  of  the  sooiety 
not  appertaining  to  the  treasury.  The  delegates  of  the  several  branches  of  the 
sooiety  in  any  one  county  shall  meet  semi -annually, at  such  place  as  they  shall 
choose,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  upon  measures  for  promoting  the  designs  of 
the  society,  particularly  for  encouraging  an  institution  for  giving  an  economical 

p 

and  practical  eduoation,  and  for  qualifying  teachers. M 

1.  Annals  of  Ecuoation,  Vol.l,  p.lPST. 

2.  A mer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  1,  p.594.. 


27 


Incidentally,  the  above  quotation  suggests  some  of  the  lines  of 
aotivity  followed  by  the  looal  lyoeums.  The  people  of  the  community  were  to 
bring  together  in  their  society  books,  apparatus  to  illustrate  some  of  the  simple 
laws  of  physios,  chemistry  and  other  soiences,  and  specimens  of  minerals  and 
other  articles  of  natural  or  artificial  production.  These  were  to  be  kept  in 
the  meeting  plaoe  for  the  use  of  all  the  members  and  for  all  the  people  of  the 
community.  In  their  meetings  attempts  would  be  made  to  oreate  a desire  to  use 
the  books  and  study  the  oontents  of  the  cabinets.  Again,  Mr.  Holbrook  suggests 
the  objeots  to  be  attained  and  the  most  desirable  procedure  to  attain  them.  "The 
first  objeot  of  this  sooiety  is  to  procure  for  youths  an  eoonomioal  and  practical 
education,  and  to  diffuse  rational  and  useful  information  through  the  community 
generally.  The  seoond  object  is  to  apply  the  soiences  and  the  various  branohes 
of  education  to  the  domestic  and  useful  arts,  and  to  all  the  common  purposes 

of  life The  sooiety  will  hold  meetings  as  often  as  they  think  it  expedient 

for  the  purpose  of  mutual  instruction  in  the  soienoes,  by  investigating  and  dis- 
oussing  them  or  any  other  branch  of  useful  knowledge.  The  several  branches  of 
natural  philosophy,  viz.:  Mechanics,  Hydrostat ios.  Pneumatics,  Chemistry, 
Minerology,  Botany,  any  branoh  of  the  Mathematics,  History, Polit ioal  Eoonomy>> or 
any  political,  intellectual,  or  moral  subjeot,  may  be  examined  and  discussed  by 
the  sooiety.  Any  branoh  of  the  sooiety  may,  as  often  as  they  think  it  expedient, 
procure  regular  oourses  of  instruction  by  leotures  or  otherwise,  in  any  subjeot 
of  useful  knowledge.  Any  person  may  beoome  a member  of  the  society  by  paying 
to  the  treasurer  annually,  one  dollar;  and  ten  dollars  paid  any  any  one  time 
will  constitute  a person  a member  for  life.  The  money  paid  to  the  society  for 
membership  or  otherwise  shall  be  appropriated  to  the  purohase  of  books,  apparatus, 
a oabinet , aiding  an  institution  for  practical  education,  or  for  some  other  objeot 
for  the  benefit  of  the  society."1 


1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  1,  p.594. 


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' 


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■ 


■ 


. 

. ■.  *iv flirt  ( 


. ..  . • i " * 


. 


- 


2 S 

In  the  early  days  of  the  movement  the  meetings  were  usually  held  weekly 
or  bi-weekly,  and  were  rather  informal  in  procedure.  The  proper  officers  would 
arrange  for  the  program  whioh  was  varied  to  meet  the  peouliar  requirements  of 
the  plaoe  and  people.  Some  gave  their  attention  largely  to  soienoe,  and  dis- 
oussed  the  subject  somewhat  informally  but  aooording  to  a rather  definite  pro- 
gram. Others  used  the  more  formal  leoture  method  of  presenting  the  subjeots 
for  consideration.  In  some  oases  the  society  would  vary  from  the  subjeots  of 
a soientifio  and  definite  character  to  those  of  a more  general  or  miscellaneous 
nature,  involving  principles  of  expediency  in  the  fields  of  government,  law, 
political  and  domestic  eoonomy,  agriculture,  education,  morals,  etc.  Thdse  sub- 
jects would  be  discussed  in  the  form  of  debate  or  by  formal  address  followed  by 
general  disoussion.  Exeroises  for  young  and  inexperienoed  members  such  as  read- 
ings, declamations,  composition,  particularly  letter  writing,  also  grammar  and 
geography,  were  introduced.  Eaoh  oounty,  town,  and  state  lyoeum  conducted 
its  meetings  and  managed  its  affairs  as  local  conditions  direoted.  In  the  earli- 
est days  the  leaders  of  the  meetings  and  those  who  participated  in  them  were 
drawn  from  the  immediate  community • The  societies  were  self -sufficient  in  the 
matter  of  programs.  Later,  some  person  of  superior  ability  as  a speaker  or 
demonstrator,  and  with  knowledge  somewhat  above  the  average,  would  be  invited  to 
speak  before  neighboring  lyceums.  He  would  receive  no  compensation,  in  addition 
to  his  expenses,  for  his  services.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  delivered  many  lyceum 
leotures  in  his  early  days  for  such  a consideration.  In  one  instance  he  reported 
to  a oommittee  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  give  an  address  for  the  expenses  of 
the  trip,  but  would  have  to  insist  that  he  have  three  quarts  of  oats  for  his 
horse.  Still  later  there  developed  a group  of  men  who  gave  considerable  time 
to  public  lecturing  before  lyoeums  and  other  similar  societies,  - Mr.  Emerson  was 
the  leader  of  this  group  not  only  in  point  of  time,  but  also  in  the  quality  and 


■ 


' 


29 


character  of  his  messages,  - and  with  their  ooming  oame  also  the  lecture  fee, 
very  small  at  first  - only  $5.00  or  $10.00  for  a leoture  - and  the  more  formal 
but  less  frequent  meetings  of  the  lyoeum. 

Provision  was  made  in  most  of  the  lyoeums  for  meet  in  s of  different 
groups  at  different  times.  School  teaohers,  beoause  of  their  common  tasks  and 
interests,  would  have  a speoial  time  to  meet  to  disouss  their  problems.  Likewise 
the  farmers,  the  meohanios,  women,  and  still  other  groups  would  meet,  apart  from 
those  whose  special  interest  was  different,  to  oonsider  their  own  activities. 

These  group  meetings  did  not  supplant  the  general  meetings,  but  were  designed 
rather  to  be  supplementary. 

In  many  instances  lyoeums  were  organized  for  and  by  a group  whose 
interests  were  alike.  The  programs  in  such  oases  were,  of  course,  directed  to 
secure  oertain  results  for  the  group  involved.  The  oharaoter  and  extent  of  the 
library,  oabinet,  apparatus,  eto.,  would  be  determined  by  the  speoial  activities 
of  the  members.  In  1 S35#  j-u  Philadelphia, was  organized  a Teachers’  Lyceum.  It 
was  sufficiently  commanding  to  oall  a meeting  for  the  formation  of  a state  lyoeum, 
and  this  state  lyoeum  was  sufficiently  important  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
national  organization  and  secure  an  amendment  to  the  national  constitution  so 
that  the  seventh  annual  meeting  oould  be  held  in  Philadelphia.  In  this  oonnectia 
mention  might  be  made  of  the  faot  that  the  Germans  in  Pennsylvania  who  were  gener- 
ally opposed  to  the  public  sohool  idea  favored  the  local,  self -supported,  demo- 
crat io  lyceum. 

The  Junior  preaohers  of  the  New  England  Methodist  Conference  formed  a 
society  for  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  whioh  was  called  the  Clerical  Lyceum.  Their 
work  in  their  sooiety  was  muoh  like  that  of  the  general  lyoeums  except  that 
more  attention  was  given  to  courses  of  reading.  These  oourses  were  general 
and  not  limited  to  theological  subjects. 


Hi 


30 


Late  in  1S33  the  United  States  Naval  Lyceum  was  organized.  It  pro- 
posed to  oolleot  from  all  parts  of  the  world  objects  of  natural  history,  to  give 
some  attention  to  disoovery,  and  reports  on  findings  and  explorations  on  new  or 
little  known  islands  and  coasts.  Instruct  ion  was  given  in  navigation  and  in  the 
use  of  sea-faring  instruments.  It  was  proposed  to  publish  a magazine  to 
present  items  of  interest  to  men  in  the  navy.  Collections  in  natural  history  were 
deposited  in  the  navy  buildings  in  New  York  City.  The  reports  of  this  lyceuin 
to  the  national  meetings  were  unusually  interesting  and  contained  muoh  helpful 
informat  ion. 

In  1SH2  Mr.  Holbrook  went  to  New  York  and  opened  rooms  in  the  building 
of  the  trustees  of  the  Publio  Sohool  Society  to  oonduot  an  kxohange  Lyoeum.  He 
was  noting  as  the  oentral  agent  of  his  plan  of  sohool  exchanges  by  which  he 
proposed  to  induce  students  in  different  sohools  to  exohange  drawings,  minerals, 
and  other  work  and  collections  that  would  be  mutually  helpful. 

Abraham  Lincoln  addressed  a Young  Men's  Lyoeum  in  Springfield,  Illinois, 
in  1S3#»  A report  was  made  to  one  of  the  National  meetings  from  a Juvenile  Lyoeum 
in  New  York  City. 

The  Literary  and  Philosophical  Sooiety  of  South  Carolina  appointed 
Messrs.  T.S.Grimke,  H.R. Frost  and  Wm.  P.  Finley  to  prepare  an  address  on  the 
"Lyoeum1* . Mr.  Grimke  probably  prepared  the  address.  After  referring  to  the 
earlier  use  of  the  word  "lyoeum",  the  address  recommended  a division  of  the 
organization  into  two  classes,  the  elementary  and  the  representative.  Among  the 
elementary  lyceums  are  described  the  family,  the  social  or  neighborhood,  the 
village  and  parish  lyoeums;  the  representative  lyceums  are  the  district,  state, 
and  national  organizations.  A further  description  presents  the  family  lyoeum 
as  a simple  arrangement  by  whioh  the  members  of  a family  designate  oertain  even- 
ings or  a oertain  evening  of  each  week  for  helpful  and  enlightening  conversation. 


31 


and  this  is  to  be  according  to  some  program  previously  agreed  upon.  The  sooial 
or  neighborhood  lyoeum  is  oomposed  of  many  persons  in  a sooial  group  or  in  a 
neighborhood.  The  term  sooial  would  be  used  to  designate  a group  in  a oity 
where  other  faotors  than  proximity  determine  relations.  In  sparsely  settled 
communities  the  neighborhood  would  be  the  unit.  By  suoh  an  arrangement  visiting 
would  be  made  more  significant  and  would  have  some  point  to  it.  There  might  be 
olass  lyceums  oomposed  of  those  who  are  interested  in  the  study  of  some  particular 
book,  books,  or  branoh  of  knowledge.  The  representative  lyoeums  recommended  in 
the  address  were  like  the  oounty,  state,  and  national  lyoeum  outlined  by  Mr. 
Holbrook.  The  address  doses  with  some  observations  worthy  of  a plaoe  in  this 
statement . 

"The  lyoeum  system  interferes  with  no  other  soheme  of  improvement, 
and  is,  on  the  contrary,  auxiliary  to  them  all. 

"It  is  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and  by  oombining  various 
modes  of  aotion,  will  give  it  new  strength  and  animation. 

"It  will  counteract  the  spirit  of  jealousy  which  prevails  too  exten- 
sively among  individuals  of  particular  olasses  and  professions. 

"It  is  essentially  a plan  of  self-instruotion  and  of  mutual  instruction. 

"It  furnishes  a convenient  and  simple  method  of  preserving  knowledge 
aoquired  in  early  life,  and  of  diffusing  and  maintaining  a taste  for  reading  and 
intellectual  improvement. 

"It  will  thus  enable  all  the  members  of  society  to  act  with  more  effeot 
in  promoting  the  oause  of  education,  and  the  progress  of  literature. 

"The  last  benefit  which  the  address  mentions  is  that  the  system  is 
peculiarly  a republican  institution,  - the  people's  system  - and  admirably  fitted 
to  confer  precisely  that  degree  and  that  kind  of  knowledge  which  is  so  valuable 


' 

. 


■ 


« 


. 


32 


to  the  people  of  this  oountry,  whioh,  without  making  them  profound  soholars, 
will  enlarge  their  mind6  so  that  they  oan  oomprehend  the  value  of  learning, 
and  enable  them  to  disoover,  in  some  measure,  their  own  ignorance,  - whioh  will 
inspire  the  love  of  improvement,  and  while  it  shows  them  their  own  defeots, 
direots  and  assists  them  in  providing  a remedy,  and  in  surmounting  the  obstacles 
whioh  lie  in  their  way."* 

Certain  features  of  the  lyoeum  membership,  libraries,  apparatus,  eto., 
are  reported  in  a statement  relative  to  the  Middlesex  County,  Massachusetts 
Lyoeum.  There  were  twenty-three  town  lyceum6  in  Middlesex  County,  and  the 
number  of  members  in  eaoh  society  varied  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  with 
over  six  hundred  members  in  the  Newton  Lyoeum.  The  Waltham  Lyoeum  had  a library 
of  eight  hundred  volumes,  and  apparatus  worth  $1000.00;  in  Newton  there  was  a 
library  of  five  hundred  volumes,  and  in  Ashby  there  was  a oolleotion  of  three 
or  four  hundred  mineral  specimens  and  a collection  of  plants  ana  inseots.  It 
is  remarked  that  two  of  the  societies  had  instrumental  music  on  their  programs. 

Unusually  extravagant  language  was  used  to  indioate  the  wholesome 
influence  of  the  lyoeums  on  sooiety.  “There  is  no  way  of  accomplishing  so 
muoh  good  for  a trifling  expense."  “It  has  brought  together  the  broken  and 
disjointed  members  of  society."  "Its  influence  on  the  members  has  been  powerful 
in  uniting  opposing  par-ties."  "Many  who  have  been  in  the  habit  heretofore  of 
going  to  the  theaters  now  say  that  they  prefer  going  to  the  lyoeums."  The 
foregoing  are  a few  sentences  taken  at  random  from  the  report  of  the  Middlesex 
County  Lyceum.  Very  similar  statements  are  found  in  praotically  all  of  the 
reports  concerning  the  operation  and  influence  of  the  organizations. 

Perhaps  the  best  way  to  understand  the  nature  of  a lyoeum  meeting  and 
its  contribution  to  a community  is  to  read  what  a visitor  had  to  say  about  his 

1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.^,pp.l93>  19#* 


. 


33 


reactions  to  a lyoeum  program.  At  a meeting  in  1S30  at  Topafield,  Massachusetts, 
to  organize  a lyceum  several  gentlemen  made  addresses.  Among  them  was  Judge 
Cummins  who  is  reported  as  relating  his  experiences  in  visiting  several  lyoeums . 
The  quotation  following  will  give  an  idea  of  the  subjeots  disoussed,  the  attend- 
ance, interest,  and  general  effeot.  “In  Worcester  he  was  invited  to  attend  one 
of  these  lyoeums.  He  found  the  place  of  meeting  well  filled  with  interested 
and  attentive  listeners.  They  were  the  mechanics  and  traders,  and  the  laboring 
olasses  generally.  There  ware  the  most  intelligent  gentlemen  in  the  place  and 
the  most  respectable  f amilies  . And  what,  after  all  .perhaps,  was  the  best  of 
it,  and  what  ought  not  by  any  means  to  be  omitted  or  forgotten,  was  that  those 
families  not  only  went  there  themselves  but  they  oarried  their  domestics  with 
them.  He  had  previously  visited  the  lyceum  in  Concord;  it  was  the  same  there. 
All  olasses  were  present;  all  olasses  were  interested;  and  he  believed  all 
classes  were  receiving  instruction.  He  afterwards  visited  Hampshire,  where 
he  was  very  generally  acquainted,  and  attended  a Lyoeum  at  Northampton.  The 
same  speotaole  presented  itself  there.  A learned  and  able  gentleman  was  imparting 
to  a throng  of  listeners  knowledge,  whioh  until  these  days  had  been  considered  the 
speoial  property  of  a profession. 

“In  these  three  large  sooieties  he  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  three 
professional  men  explaining  the  mysteries  of  their  peculiar  orafts  to  the  un- 
initiated. In  one  of  them  a physioian  explained  the  circulation  of  the  blood  to 
people  whose  blood  had  been  circulating  all  their  lives  without  their  knowing 
how.  For  his  own  part,  he  never  knew  how  his  blood  circulated  before.  He  had 
heard  about  it,  it  was  true,  but  he  never  understood  it  before.  The  leoturer 
explained  to  him  how  the  heart  performed  its  functions  and  how  the  blood  was 
forced  through  the  various  channels,  and  he  came  away  astonished  and  delighted 
to  find  that  all  this  curious  and  wonderful  mechanism  could  be  so  exhibited  as 


. .1 


34 


that  even  he  should  understand  its  oonstruotion.  At  another  plaoe  he  heal’d  a 
Theologian  inouloating  the  theory  of  morality.  It  was  plain  and  praotioal.  He 
enforoed  different  duties  by  showing  they  oould  be  derived  from  the  plain  great 
prinoiples;  he  showed  us  how  we  ought  to  aot,  and  why  we  ought  to  act;  he 
made  the  path  plain  before  us,  and  truths  divine  fell  mended  from  his  tongue. 

At  the  third,  the  labyrinths  of  the  law  were  explored.  This  scienoe  he  had  been 
all  his  life-time  exploring  but  now  on  a sudden  it  was  made  so  plain  that  he 
could  understand  it,  and  he  was  almost  afraid  everybody  else  would  understand  it. 
His  brother  Ashmun  had  made  it  so  simple  and  easy  that  it  was  almost  to  be  feared 
that  all  the  people  of  Northampton  would  beoome  lawyers,  and  then  they  would 
have  no  need  of  any  lawyers  at  all.  He  seemed  indeed  to  be  possessed  with  the 
spirit  of  the  place,  and  had  let  himself  completely  down  to  the  comprehension  of 
the  publio.  For  his  own  part,  he  was  astonished  that  so  unintelligible  a subject 
had  been  made  so  perfectly  intelligible.  And  this,  he  said,  would  be  one  ad- 
vantage of  these  institutions."1 

As  we  have  already  observed,  Mr.  Holbrook’s  plan  was  to  relate  the 
local  society  to  the  national  organization  through  the  county  and  state  associa- 
tions. In  this  complete  organization  provision  was  made  for  the  larger  aspects 
of  education,  and  some  things  were  planned  then  that  have  never  been  fully  ac- 
complished. The  following  additional  statement  taken  from  his  initial  article 
on  the  matter  presents  his  plan  of  oomplete  organization. 

"The  board  of  delegates  in  each  county  shall  appoint  such  offioers  as 
shall  be  necessary  for  their  organization  or  for  doing  any  business  coming  within 
their  province.  Each  board  of  delegates  shall  appoint  a representative  to  meet 
representatives  from  other  boards  who  shall  be  styled  the  Board  of  Mutual  Educa- 
tion for  a given  state;  and  it  might  be  advantageous  to  have  also  a General 


1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  V0I.5,  p.141. 


. 


' 


. 

Ha  » 


35 


Board  embracing  the  United  States.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  or 
state  boards  to  meet  annually  to  appoint  a president  and  other  offioers,  to 
devise  and  recommend  such  a system  of  education  as  they  shall  think  most  eligible, 
also  to  recommend  such  books  as  they  shall  think  best  fitted  to  answer  the 
purposes  for  which  they  are  designed,  and  to  adopt  and  recommend  suoh  measures 
generally  as  are  most  likely  to  seoure  to  the  rising  generation  the  best  intel- 
lectual, moral,  and  physioal  education,  and  to  diffuse  the  greatest  quantity  of 
useful  information  among  the  various  olasses  of  the  community."1 2 3  In  addition  to 
the  above  the  state  boards  were  to  form  the  oonneoting  link  between  the  local  and 
oounty  societies  and  the  national  organization.  In  praotice  that  particular 
item  miscarried.  Looal,  oounty,  and  state  lyceums  were  represented  in  the 
annual  meetings,  and  the  leaders  seemed  pleased  to  have  any  one  in  attendance 
who  represented  in  any  way  any  kind  of  a lyceum  or  kindred  society. 

Hr.  Holbrook  planned  even  more  widely  than  the  borders  of  the  United 
States.  He  proposed  an  Universal  Lyceum  with  Chanoellor  Brougham  of  England 
as  president,  and  with  fifty-two  vice  presidents  representing  different  countries 

p 

and  different  interests.  This  was  never  accomplished. 

In  1637  Mr.  Holbrook  began  the  Lyceum  Village  of  Berea,  twelve  miles 
from  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Five  hundred  acres  of  land  was  vested  in  an  incorporated 
board  of  trustees.  Houses,  shops,  and  a sohool  house  were  erected,  and  a 
flourishing  settlement  was  soon  established.  This  was  to  be  the  first  of  a 
series  of  suoh  villages  including  persons  interested  in  the  lyceum  enterprise. 
Another  was  started  at  Westohester , near  Mew  York.  The  Berea  enterprise  oame  to 
a disastrous  close  in  a few  years  and  left  Mr.  Holbrook  heavily  in  debt.15 

Under  the  heading  "Nature  of  the  Lyceum"  is  the  following  rather 
comprehensive  statement  of  the  fundamental  aspeots  of  the  organization,  indicating 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.l, p.594. 

2.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.7,  p.l63» 

3.  Barnard's  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.6,p.230. 


I 


36 


its  oharaoter: 

"It  is  a voluntary  institution.  It  resorts  to  no  law,  but  the  law 
of  motives,  and  the  freedom  of  ohoioe.  It  invites,  but  never  urges.  It  asks 
for  effort,  but  wishes  for  none  but  voluntary  and  oheerful  effort.  It  believes 
that  the  dignity,  success,  and  hopes  of  the  whole  system,  are  founded  in  the 
simple  faot,  that  the  human  intellect  is  a self-moving,  self-acting,  and  self- 
controlling principle,  - oapable,  under  the  aid  and  guidance  of  its  Creator, 
of  achieving  its  own  advancement  and  elevation It  proposes  the  organiza- 

tion of  a Branch  Lyceum  in  every  town  in  our  Union  but  requires  it  in  no  one. 

It  is  a social  institution.  It  recognizes  that  our  social  intercourse 
has  a very  great  bearing  upon  our  personal  life,  and,  accordingly,  seeks  to 
provide  an  atmosphere  designed  to  make  sooial  intercourse  both  pleasant  and 
profitable.  Most  of  the  public  meetings  are  informal  and  the  participation  of 
all  is  invited.  The  easy,  conversational  way  of  instruction  may  be  oarried  on 
to  family  or  other  smaller  sooial  groups. 

It  is  a self-adapting  institution.  Any  community,  and  any  olass  of 
the  community,  can  form  a lyceum,  not  only  to  suit  their  wishes,  but  to  advanoe 
their  own  purposes  and  pursuits.  A farming  community  oan  associate,  not  only 
as  intellectual,  moral  and  sooial  beings,  but  as  farmers.  Small  groups  may 
beoome  departments  of  a general  sooiety. 

It  is  a republican  institution.  Its  foundation  is  moral  freedom  and  in- 
dependence, without  whioh  no  one  oan  be  truly  free.  It  permits,  invites,  and 
enables  all  who  unite  in  its  operations  to  think,  judge,  and  aot  for  themselves. 

It  would  liberate  them  from  the  slavery  of  a party,  of  a demagogue,  and  of  their 

passions It  aims  at  universal  education  by  induoing  and  enabling  all  whom 

it  embraces  to  eduoate  themselves. 

It  is  a benevolent  institution.  It  is  mutual,  or  gives , hoping  to 


. 


' 


37 


reoeive.  It  also  gives,  not  hoping  to  reoeive It  luaintains  that  teaohers 

are  bound,  not  only  to  iostruot  their  pupils,  but  to  do  good  to  each  other,  and 

1 

to  make  the  improvements  in  the  soienoe  and  art  of  teaohing,  public  property." 

An  attempt  has  been  made  to  present  the  nature  and  objectives  of  the 
Amerioan  Lyceum.  It  was  a simple  organization  of  the  people  of  a community. 
There  was  just  enough  of  the  offioial  and  formal  aspeots  to  give  it  a proper  dig- 
nity and  entity,  but  it  was  designed  to  be  a free,  open  sooiety  for  all  the 
people  and  for  the  discussion  of  all  worthy  community  problems.  Its  chief 
interest  was  education.  The  programs  of  the  sooiety  meetings  were  for  the 
diffusion  of  praotioal  and  oultural  information  among  the  immediate  members, 
and,  through  them,  into  the  entire  oomnunity.  This  instruction  was  largely 
mutual,  eaoh  member  participating  to  the  extent  of  bis  ability  or  inclination 
in  the  several  programs.  But  indireotly  the  lyoeums  oarried  on  a oonstant 
propaganda  for  the  improvement  of  the  common  sonools.  Teaohers  were  urged  to 
beoome  members  of  the  local  societies,  and  every  opportunity  was  given  to  them- 
to  advance  themselves  in  the  efficiency  of  their  work.  The  libraries,  cabinets, 
and  apparatus  were  available  for  teaohers  in  their  school  work.  The  lyoeum  was 
for  the  people  and  was  established  and  maintained  by  the  people.  It  ocoupied 
a prominent  plaoe  in  the  movement  for  better  organized  and  more  comprehensive 
intellectual,  moral  and  cultural  advantages. 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.2,  p .35 


t. 


Chapter  IV 


The  Amerioan  Lyoeum  and  Publio  Eduoation. 

It  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  ohapters  that  the  Amerioan  Lyceum  was 
an  educational  agency  of  considerable  importance  in  the  second  quarter  of  the 
nineteenth  oentury.  No  attempt  was  made  in  ohapters  II  and  III  to  emphasize  the 
educational  features  of  the  movement,  but,  simply,  to  present  the  historical 
development  and  the  character  of  the  organization.  However,  no  story  of  the 
institution  can  be  told  without  apparent  special  interest  in  its  many  references 
to  education.  It  was  a movement  of  the  people  and  at  a time  when  readjustments 
were  necessary.  New  seotions  of  the  oountry  were  being  settled  and  the  older 
states  were  in  the  prooess  of  change  by  the  influx  of  foreigners,  and  the  develop- 
ment of  manufacturing  interests.  Measures  were  neoessary  to  secure  to  these 
changing  conditions  some  stabalizing  agent,  and  eduoation  of  the  ohildren  and 
a continuation  of  that  eduoation  into  the  years  of  adulthood  seemed  to  be  the 
most  effective  means  available.  But  eduoation  was  in  a sorry  condition  so 
far  as  the  principal  agency,  the  public  school,  was  concerned.  Accordingly,  the 
people,  upon  whom  all  responsibility  rests  in  the  last  analysis,  reoognizing  the 
limitations  of  the  schools  and  the  urgent  need  of  the  product  of  a better  school 
system,  engaged  themselves  in  the  promotion  of  greater  interest  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  numerous  and  varied  societies  to  accomplish  the  desired  end.  Foremost 
among  these  was  the  American  Lyoeum. 

Henry  Barnard  refers  to  the  many  societies,  and  places  his  estimate 
upon  the  achievements  of  the  lyoeum  in  his  introductory  statement  to  a disoussion 
oi  the  institution.  "Of  all  these,  whether  under  the  names  of  sohool  systems 


' 


. 

■ 


39 


(Infant,  Free,  Monitorial,  Manual  Labor,  Agricultural, etc . , ) or  of  Mechanics' 

Institutions,  Lyceums,  Societies  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful  Knowledge,  Mercantile 

Associations,  Teaohers'  Seminaries,  Teaohers 1 2 Associations,  Literary  Institutes, 

Societies  of  Education,  Sohool  Agents'  Societies,  Library  Associations,  Book 

Clubs,  Reading  Associations,  Educational  Journals,  etc.,  etc.,  none  oreated  so 

immediate  and  general  interest,  or  excited  for  a time  an  influence  so  great  or 

benefioent  as  The  American  Lyceum. After  Josiah  Holbrook  had  outlined  his 

plan  for  an  association  of  adults  for  mutual  instruction  he  stated  the  object  of 

the  sooiety  as  follows:  “The  first  objeot  of  this  sooiety  is  to  prooure  for 

youths  an  economical  and  practical  education,  and  to  diffuse  rational  and  useful 

information  through  the  community  generally.  The  second  objeot  is  to  apply  the 

soiences  and  the  various  branohes  of  education  to  the  domestic  and  useful  arts, 

2 

and  to  all  the  oommon  purposes  of  life.”  In  the  above,  Holbrook  not  only  pre- 
sented himself  as  a farsighted  educational  advooate,  but  also  as  an  educational 
prophet.  Subsequent  efforts  have  been  in  the  direction  of  a more  intimate  re- 
lation between  education  and  the  practical  aspeots  of  life. 

Mr.  Holbrook  stated  the  objects  of  the  lyceum  in  l£2t>,  and  thirteen 
years  later,  in  Philadelphia,  the  closing  meeting  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum  was  a 
national  educational  convention.  From  its  inoeption  to  its  dose  there  were 
repeated  assuranoes  that  the  movement  was  for  the  promotion  of  a better  educa- 
tional program.  These  assuranoes  were  eipressed  in  many  ways,  ohief  of  which  was 
the  oonstant  discussion  of  educational  topios  in  the  meetings  of  all  the  societies. 
Teaohers  were  given  a large  place  in  the  consideration  and  the  programs  of  the 
meetings.  Attempts  were  made  to  make  the  way  of  learning  easier  for  the  youth 
by  introducing  more  widely  the  use  of  simple  apparatus  for  experimental  and 
illustrative  purposes,  also  by  the  establishment  and  resurrection  of  libraries  in 

1.  Barnard's  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  14, p .535,  (1&64). 

2.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  1,  p.595,  (lS2o). 


• •-  • i 


W-j 

« 


40 


or  near  the  schools.  Subsequent  quotations  with  accompanying  oomment  will 
indioate  not  only  the  efforts  of  the  lyoeum  to  improve  the  schools  and  the  attitude 
of  the  people  toward  education,  but  also,  and  part ioular ly , the  reaotion  of  the 
people  to  the  activities  of  the  societies. 

A committee  of  the  Middlesex  County  Lyoeum  was  appointed  to  report  on 
the  best  way  to  study  the  general  subject.  Improvement  of  our  Common  Schools. 

The  report  provided  for  a disoussion  of  the  topio  "under  three  distinct  proposi- 
tions. 1.  Whether  any,  and  if  any,  what  measures  can  be  taken  to  provide  for  our 
common  sohools,  teachers  of  greater  talents  and  more  practical  knowledge  of  their 
profession,  than  are  now  generally  employed.  2.  Whether  the  method  in  which  our 
sohools  are  generally  oonduoted,  may  not  be  improved  by  introducing  a modification 
of  the  system  adopted  in  schools  of  mutual  instruction,  and  in  infant  schools. 

3.  What  apparatus  is  it  desirable  should  be  introduced  into  our  schools;  and  what 
series  of  books  oan  be  confidently  recommended  that  would  facilitate  their  im- 
provement."1 Teaohers,  method,  and  the  tools  of  education  are  the  three  subjects 
of  eduoation  for  disoussion  in  the  above  quotation.  They  were  among  the  out- 
standing topics  in  1531#  and  they  are  with  us  still,  suggesting  that  in  those 
days  men  were  sufficiently  oonversant  with  educational  requirements  to  give 
their  time  to  fundamentals. 

One  characteristic  of  the  anno uncements  and  reports  of  lyoeum  meetings 
was  the  presentation  of  a list  of  subjects  for  discussion.  At  a meeting  in 
Boston  in  1529#  Rev.  Asa  Rand  made  remarks  on  the  lyceum  indicating  the  reasons 
why  he  favored  the  movement.  First,  it  is  economical,  second,  it  agrees  well 
with  the  modern  principles  of  eduoation  in  that  it "cultivates  and  exeroises 
the  mind  instead  of  filling,  and  orowding,  and  loading  it."  At  this  meeting  a 
list  of  seventeen  questions  was  proposed  for  discussion,  ten  of  whioh  dealt 


1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.l,p.l32 


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41 

direotly  with  education  and  the  publio  schools.1 2  In  1534  the  New  Jersey  Lyceum 
reported  to  the  Amerioan  Lyoeum  in  its  annual  meeting,  and  the  first  sentence 
of  the  report  was,  “The  New  Jersey  State  Lyoeum  was  organized  at  Princeton  on 
the  third  and  fourth  of  April,  1534,  by  the  friends  of  education  and  of  intel- 
lectual improvement The  report  states  further  that  the  following  subjects 
were  discussed  informally:  “1.  What  is  the  state  of  oommon  school  instruction 
in  your  vioinity?  2.  What  attention  does  it  reoeive  from  the  community  gener- 
ally? 3.  How  may  it  be  improved?"  In  the  same  report  it  was  pointed  out  that 
"answers  to  the  following  questions  were  requested  from  every  township."  There 

were  twenty-six  questions  in  the  list,  all  of  which  dealt  with  the  publio  school 
2 

situation.  The  number  of  meetings  might  easily  be  multiplied  many  times  in 
which  all  or  a large  number  of  the  questions  discussed  were  of  a distinctly 
educational  character. 

It  seems  that  this  very  general  discussion  of  the  subjeot  of  education 
bore  fruitful  results,  and  that  the  generous  and  benevolent  spirit  of  the  leaders 
was  not  without  its  reward.  There  were  ohanges  in  the  common  schools,  and  in 
the  attitude  of  the  people  toward  them.  In  1531  a rather  elaborate  statement  is 
made  relative  to  the  practical  value  and  results  of  the  lyceum.  We  give  here 
only  the  second  item,  “sohools,"  although  the  report  is  largely  a statement  of 
educational  accomplishments.  “By  means,  entirely  within  the  reach  of  any  town 
in  the  United  States,  the  oharaoter  of  a vast  number  of  sohools  has  been  en- 
tirely ohanged,  and  that,  too,  without  any  additional  expense  of  time  or  money. 
Numerous  towns  are  now  realizing  at  least  douole  from  their  appropriations  to 
schools,  of  what  they  received  two  years  since.  The  same  teachers  and  the  same 
pupils  do  twioe  the  work  but  very  recently  performed  by  them  in  consequence  of 
the  encouragement,  animation,  and  aid  received  by  them  from  lyceums.  These  in- 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.3,p.746,  (1525). 

2.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.4,  p.314. 


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42 


stitutions  virtually  oonstitute  a seminary  for  teachers,  already  enjoyed  by 
thousands,  and  oapable  of  being  so  extended  as  to  embrace  every  teacher  in  our 
Union,  and  under  suoh  oiroumstanoes  as  to  improve  him  immediately,  constantly, 
and  without  expense."1 2 3 

In  a report  of  the  sixth  annual  meeting  of  the  AmericanLyoeum  in  Hew 
York  City  one  paragraph  contained  the  following:  "We  oannot  help  expressing  the 
gratification  we  feel  in  finding  the  attention  of  the  lyoeum,  at  its  late  session, 
turned  almost  exclusively  to  oommon  sohools.  These,  one  would  think,  are  be- 
ginning to  be  regarded  as  they  should  be  - as  the  hope  of  our  country  and  of  its 

2 

free  institutions."  Lest  the  unwarranted  conclusion  might  be  reached  that  the 
foregoing  statements  were  made  by  some  biased  enthusiastic  advocate  of  the 
system,  it  seems  desirable  to  interjeot  a few  statements  made  late  in  the  oentury. 
Herbert  B.  Adams,  after  indicating  the  several  objectives  the  lyceum  sought  to 
accomplish,  continued:  "Most  of  these  objeots  were  earnestly  promoted  and  are 
worthy  of  historio  record  as  characteristic  features  of  the  first  great  movement 

for  popular-  educational  extension  in  these  United  States. Vigorous  efforts 

were  made  to  introduce  history,  the  subject  of  political  institutions,  and 
natural  soience  into  the  public  schools.  Lyoeum  extension  was  far  more  general 
and  popular  than  the  later  'university  extension,'  because,  like  mechanics' 
institutes,  it  was  a more  demooratio  and  spontaneous  movement."  In  the  same 
artiole  are  the  following  observat ions : “Local  libraries,  fallen  into  disuse, 
were  revived  and  oame  into  demand.  New  libraries  were  oreated  and  used  extensive- 
ly. Traveling  libraries  were  advocated  and  provided  for  in  1631  by  the  American 
Lyceum.  Historio  types  of  local  lyoeums  deserve  investigation,  for  they  repre- 
sented the  first  great  wave  of  educational  democracy  or  adult  popular  education. 
Free  public  libraries  followed  lyoeums."^ 

1.  Annals  of  Education,  Vol.l,p.326. 

2.  Ann. Is  of  Education,  Vol.o,  p.2£l. 

3.  Report,  Commiss ioner  of  Education,  16^99-1900,  Vol.l,pp.275  ff» 


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43 


In  a like  manner  E.  G.  Dexter  points  out  the  different  measures  en- 
dorsed and  advocated  oy  the  lyoeum,  and  oontinues:  "a  mere  glance  at  this  list 
is  enough  to  show  that  we  have  in  this  movement  the  forerunner  and  parent  of 
many  of  our  most  valuable  institutions  today.  The  United  States  Weather  Bureau, 
library  extension,  the  museum  of  natural  history,  the  soientifio  laboratory, 
free  text-books,  the  village  improvement  sooiety,  all  are  there  fore-shadowed; 
and  there  oan  be  little  doubt  that  the  National  Education  Association,  and 
American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science  were  both  more  or  less  direct- 
ly the  outgrowth  of  the  lyoeum  movement .“  As  a kind  of  su.juary  statement, 

Dexter  says  that  "The  American  Lyceum  was  a popular  institution  of  immense  educa- 
tional influence."  The  claims  made  by  Ddxter  may  seem  to  be  somewhat  extrava- 
gant, but  when  the  varied  and  persistent  programs  of  the  lyoeum  movement  are  con- 
sidered, there  are  many  reasons  for  concluding  that  the  many  societies  in  their 
separate  as  well  as  their  general  meetings  contributed  largely  to  the  inauguration 
of  new  movements  and  the  acceleration  or  modification  for  better  results  of  some 
already  launched. 

It  is  interesting,  in  this  connection,  to  note  the  relation  of  the 

lyoeum  to  an  outstanding  and  worthy  educational  agency  that  had  a continuous 

history  for  seventy-eight  years  beginning  in  1530,  The  American  Institute  of 

Instruction.  Hinbdale  speaks  of  the  organization  of  the  Institute  of  Instruction 

as  a development  of  the  growing  interest  in  education  and  sohools,  "and  appears 

to  have  had  some  special  relation  to  the  lyeeum  movement  which  was  then  aotive 
2 

in  New  England."  This  rather  cautious  statement  is  warranted  if  one  has  not 
gone  oarefully  into  the  activities  of  the  lyoeum  at  that  period.  The  first 
meeting  that  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Amerioan  Institute  of  Instruction 
oonvened  on  Maroh  15,1530,  in  Boston.  "Pursuant  to  public  notice,  more  than 

1.  Dexter,  History  of  Education  in  the  U.S.,  p.569. 

2.  Hinsdale,  Horaoe  Mann  and  the  Common  School  Revival  in  the  U.S.,  p.6b. 


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44 


two  hundred  instructors  met  in  Boston  on  the  fifteenth  of  Maroh.  Among  them  were 
several  who  hold  a high  rank  in  the  literature  of  the  oentury.  A oommittee  was 
appointed  on  eaoh  of  the  following  subjeots,  viz.: 

1.  The  Infant  Sohool  System. 

2.  Monitorial  Sohools. 

3.  Means  of  Raising  the  Qualifications  of  Teachers. 

4.  Branohes  of  Instruot ion  Appropriate  to  Common  Sohools . 

i?.  Associations  of  Teaohers  as  Departments  of  Lyceums^ 

The  oall  for  the  meeting  referred  to  in  the  above  quotation  was 
issued  in  the  name  of  the  State  Committee  of  Lyoeums,  and  the  objects  as  set 
forth  in  an  editorial  notioe  widely  oopied  in  the  New  England  papers  was  “to 
reoeive  reports  on  the  progress  of  lyceums , and  the  condition  of  common  sohools, 
and  to  aoquire  information  as  to  the  organization  of  infant  schools,  and  the  use 

p 

of  sohool  and  cheap  scientific  apparatus."  However  intimate  the  relation  be- 
tween the  lyoeum  movement  and  the  beginning  of  the  American  Institute  of  In- 
struction, it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  soil  was  particularly  rich  for  suoh 
an  organization  at  that  time.  But  the  lyceum  movement  had  been  giving  the  soil 
that  particular  kind  of  fertility.  It  is  not  surprising  that  other  and  more 
highly  specialized  organizations  were  born  and  began  a long  and  worthy  existence, 
and  it  is  the  highest  praise  to  the  popular  movement,  the  lyceum,  that  there 
resulted  from  its  activities  definite  movements  among  legislators  and  profession- 
al men  to  lay  well  and  deeply  the  neoessary  foundation  stones  for  a permanent 
and  commanding  superstructure.  When  Holbrook  was  drowned  near  Lynohburg,  Vir- 
ginia, in  1#54,  the  Amerioan  Institute  of  Instruction  passed  the  following  reso- 
lution: “That  our  whole  community  owes  a debt  of  lasting  gratitude  to  the  de- 

1.  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  V0I.5,  p .235*  (1330). 

2.  Barnard's  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.2,  p.l9>  (1356). 


' 


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; 

45 


oeased,  as  having  been  the  father  of  the  system  of  the  lyaeums,  by  which  a taste 
for  soienoe  has  been  excited,  and  the  young  of  our  oities  and  villages  have  been 
allured  from  frivolous  if  not  hurtful  pleasure,  and  instructed  in  subjects  whioh 
enlarge,  elevate,  and  improve  the  mind  and  heart."1 2 3 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  study  to  oall  attention  to  the  very  deoided 
and  extensive  movement  for  educational  reform  as  represented  by  the  lyceum  or- 
ganizations, and  to  oorreot  the  impression  that  prevails  rather  generally  that 
Horaoe  Mann  and  Henry  Barnard  were  the  oreators  of  a new  interest  in  education. 
Such  wrong  impressions  result  from  statements  like  the  following:  "Under  the 
leadership  of  Horaoe  Mann  and  Henry  Barnard,  and  largely  through  their  personal 
efforts,  a reaction  set  in.  Associations  to  foster  edueat ion  were  everywhere 

formed;  journals  for  the  discussion  of  educational  questions  were  formed  in 
2 

great  numbers. M Graves  represents  the  situation  more  accurately  when  he  says, 
"For  a soore  of  years  before  Mann  appeared,  definite  preparation  for  the  movement 
had  been  in  progress,  and  the  labors  of  the  individuals  and  associations  engaged 
in  these  endeavors  should  be  briefly  noted."  And  again,  "In  this  awakening  the 
most  conspicuous  figure  is  probably  Horace  Mann,  but  there  were  several  leaders 
in  the  field  before  him,  many  we re  contemporaneous,  and  the  work  was  expanded  and 
deepened  by  others  of  distinction  long  after  he  withdrew  from  the  soene."^ 

Before  Mann  and  Barnard  were  Carter,  Brooks,  and  many  other  advocates  of  better 
things  educationally.  The  Massachusetts  State  Board  of  Education  was  created 
before  Mann  was  ever  thought  of  as  an  aduoational  leader,  and  the  Massachusetts 
Board  did  not  come  out  of  a clear  3ky,-  it  did  not  happen;-  it  was  a logical  and 
inevitable  result  of  agitation  and  propaganda.  And  the  propaganda  had  been  con- 
ducted during  a period  of  eleven  years  in  a hundred  and  more  places  in  the  state 

1.  Barnard’s  Amer.  Journal  of  Education,  Vo  1 .8, p. 230. 

2.  Bunker,  F.F.,  Reorganization  of  the  Public  School  System,  Dept,  of  Interior, 

Bureau  of  Education  Bulletin,  1916,  Wo. S. 

3.  Graves, F.P.,  A History  of  Education  in  Modern  Times,  p«167. 


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46 


through  the  lyoeurn  organizations. 

No  atteu.pt  is  made  here  to  discredit  Mann  and  Barnard,  but  rather  to 
place  them.  They  came  in  on  a rising  tide,  and  were  peculiarly  fitted  to  oarry 
the  movement  on  to  a relatively  successful  completion.  Mann  had  a sane  knowledge 
of  men,  and  a consuming  human  interest.  When  his  mighty  powers  were  released  to 
the  cause  of  education,  the  time  and  the  man  seemed  to  meet  most  happily. 
Seminaries  for  teachers  had  been  advooated  by  the  lyoeurn  from  its  beginning,  and 
the  lyceums,  in  many  instances,  constituted  practical  seminaries.  The  idea  of  a 
school  for  teuohers  was  by  no  means  new  when  Man n advooated  it  soon  after  he  be- 
came secretary,  but  he  was  so  sufficient  as  a leader  and  as  a spokesman  for  the 
rather  general  but  poorly  spoken  wish  of  the  people  that  he  was  able  to  establish 
"the  first  normal  school."  It  was  indeed  fortunate  for  the  lyoeurn  that  men  like 
Mann  and  Barnard  appeared  when  they  did.  The  time  of  agitation  was  passing,  ana 
the  day  for  conserving  results  was  at  hand.  The  two  leaders  in  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island  were  fortunately  at  hand  to  oonserve  the  results 
of  a decade  or  more  of  persistent  seed  sowing. 

Perhaps  the  last  word  on  the  subject  of  the  lyceums  should  be  spoken 
by  the  men  we  have  referred  to  in  the  preceding  paragraphs,  Mann  and  Barnard,  for 
the  reason  that  they,  more  than  any  others  during  the  period  of  their  education- 
al careers,  were  able  to  interpret  and  evaluate  correotly.  In  their  Common 
School  Journals  references  were  made  to  the  societies  and  favorable  comment  was 

-j 

made  upon  them.  Barnard  remarks:  "We  have  again  and  again  oalled  the  attention 
of  the  friends  of  education  to  the  powerful  instrumentality  which  lyceums  and 
similar  institutions  oan  beoome  in  the  great  work  of  promoting  intelligence 
in  society.  We  have  almost  invariably  found  that  those  who  were  establishing 
and  maintaining  them  were  ready  to  promote  the  advancement  of  oommon  school 
eduoation,  which  they  felt  to  be  at  the  foundation  of  permanent  and  enlarged 


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47 


suooess  in  their  several  enterprises.  We  are  glad  to  find  that  in  most  of  the 
modified  forms  of  the  lyceum  system,  and  that  during  the  coming  winter  more  or 
less  extended  courses  of  popular  lectures  will  be  delivered."  1 2 3 And,  again, 

"The  increase  of  active  and  well  conducted  lyoeums  in  this  state,  and  at  this 
season,  is  much  to  be  desired,  as  one  of  the  most  direct  and  effectual  means  of 
directing  the  attention  of  the  people  to  the  importance  of  improving  the  schools.. 

In  looking  over  the  oourses  of  lectures  to  be  delivered  in  several  of  our 

larger  cities,  it  is  a oheering  symptom  of  an  awakening  interest  in  popular  educa- 
tion, to  see  that  some  of  the  most  eminent  minds  in  the  country  are  at  this  time 

maturing  and  uttering  their  opinions  on  some  of  the  varied  topios  hound  up  in 

2 

this  mighty  subject."  Barnard  refers  further  to  the  lyceums  as  agenoies  for 
continuing  the  work  of  the  public  schools.  He  says,  "they  should  take  up  the 
education  of  the  community  where  the  schools  leave  it,  and  by  every  help  and 
means  of  self-culture,  oarry  it  forward  to  the  end  of  life."'^ 

Horace  Mann,  in  his  third  annual  report  to  the  Massachusetts  State 
Board  of  Education  gives  several  paragraphs  to  a discussion  of  the  lyceum  and 
similar  institutions.  One  can  hardly  escape  the  conclusion  that  Mann  thought 
and  wrote  about  the  lyceum  at  a time  when  it  was  declining  as  an  aggressive 
factor  in  education.  The  more  formal  leoture  course  had  supplanted  the  earlier, 
self-sufficient  village  discussion  group,  and  with  the  change  had  oome  a clearly 
defined  adult  and  more  general  interest.  He  observes,  "A  olass  of  institutions 
has  lately  sprung  up  in  this  state,  universally  known  by  the  name  of  lyceums  or 
mechanics'  institutes,  before  some  of  which  courses  of  popular  lectures  on  literary 
or  scientific  subjects  are  annually  delivered,  while  others  possess  libraries  and 

reading  rooms;  and,  in  a very  few  oases,  both  these  objects  are  combined.  These 

1.  Conn.  Common  School  Journal,  Vol.2,  p.Sl. 

2.  " " " " Vol.l,  p.39. 

3.  " " " " Vol.4,  p.25 


■ 


institutions  have  the  same  general  purpose  in  view  as  publio  libraries,  viz., 
that  of  diffusing  instructive  and  entertaining  knowledge,  and  of  exciting  a 
ouriosity  to  acquire  it;  though  they  are  greatly  inferior  to  libraries,  in 

point  of  efficiency An  inventory  of  the  means  of  general  intelligence  which 

did  not  inolude  these  institutions  would  justly  be  regarded  as  incomplete."*  1 

A detailed  statement  of  these  voluntary  agencies  and  their  efforts  in 
the  field  of  popular  education  is  given  as  a part  of  the  third  report.  It  is 
inoluded  in  this  study  to  show  the  distribution  of  the  lyceums  in  Massachusetts. 
No  doubt  similar  statements  oould  have  been  made  for  other  states.  Incidentally, 
some  suggestion  is  made  as  to  the  number  of  people  reached  by  the  lyceum.  And 
this  report  oovers  the  year  ending  July  1,  1539*  a time,  as  indicated  above, 
when  the  extreme  popular  features  of  the  organization  had  yielded  to  the  more 
formal  leoture  oourse.  The  county  is  the  unit  in  making  the  report  on  this 
particular  item: 

Essex  County 

Number  of  Mechanics'  Institutes  3 

Number  of  Members  340 

Number  of  Lyceums,  etc.  12 

Average  number  of  Attendants  4-355 

Expenses  for  leotures,  including  incidentals  $2,751 


Middlesex  County 

Number  of  Mechanics'  Institutes  2 

Number  of  Members  675 

Number  of  Lyoeums,  etc.  24 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  5050 

Expenses  for  Leotures,  including 

incidentals  $3,004 


1.  Common  School  Journal,  Yol.2,p.l22 


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1 


49 


Worcester  County 

Number  of  Mechanics'  Institutes  l 

Number  of  Members  64 

Number  of  Lyoeums,  eto.  Iff 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  3005 

Expenses  for  Leotures, including  incidentals  $539 
Hampshire  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  3 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  635 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals  $75 
Hampden  County 

Number  of  Heohanios ' Institutes  1 

Number  of  Members  60 

Number  of  Lyceums,  etc.  4 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  300 


Expenses  for  Leotures,  including  incidentals,  $100 
Franklin  County 

Number  of  Lyoeums,etc.  5 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  430 

Expenses  for  Leotures,  including  incidentals,  $32 
Berkshire  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  10 

Average  number  of  Attendants  1065 

Expenses  for  Leotures,  including  incidentals,  $136 
Norfolk  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  13 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  1355 

Expenses  for  Lectures, including  incidentals,  $1,146 


N 


' 

Bristol  County 


Number  of  Mechanics'  Institutes  1 

Number  of  Members  100 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  6 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  1060 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals,  $1,455 
Plymouth  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  7 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  £05 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals,  $327 
Barnstable  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  etc.  5 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  570 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals  $73 
Dukes  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  eto.  3 

Average  NumbeV  of  Attendants  140 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals,  $25 
Nantuoket  County 

Number  of  Lyceums,  etc.  1 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  400 

Expenses  for  Lectures,  including  incidentals,  $100 
Summary  for  the  state 

Number  of  Mechanics ' Institutes  8 

Number  of  Members  1439 

Number  of  Lyceums, eto. , 137 

Average  Number  of  Attendants  3269 8 

Expenses  for  Lectures, including  incidentals,  $21197  1 
^•Common  School  Journal, Vol. 2, p. 137* 


' > 


' 


51 


The  report  observes  that,  in  addition  to  the  above,  there  are  many 
sooieties  in  the  state,  using  different  names,  aiming  at  self-improvement  by 
defeating,  deolamation,  reading,  composition,  and  leotures  at  irregular  intervals* 
The  author  of  the  report  not  only  mentions  the  variety  of  sooieties,  but  refers 
also  to  the  diversity  of  benefits  oonf erred  by  the  several  organizations*  He 
remarks  that,  "It  has  been  often  repeated,  by  numerous  and  accurate  observers, 
that,  in  the  oity  of  Boston,  the  general  topics  of  conversation,  and  the  mode 
of  treating  them,  have  been  deoidedly  improved  since  what  may  be  called  the 
reign  of  popular  leotures. wl  Mann’s  very  great  interest  in  establishing  more 
permanently  and  extending  more  widely  the  free  public  school  as  an  institution 
of  the  state  probably  acoounts  in  part  for  his  failure  to  make  reference  to 
the  lyoeum  as  an  agenoy  for  the  promotion  of  oomraon  sohools.  Then,  as 
suggested  above,  the  lyceum  itself  was  undergoing  a ohange.  It  had  wrought 
well  in  doing  its  part  to  secure  a state  board  of  education  and  a secretary, 
and  now  it  was  free  to  enter  a new  field.  In  Appendix  I the  new  field  will  be 
discussed. 


1.  Common  Sohool  Journal,  Vol.2,  p.137 


■ . 


. 

. 


52 


Summary  and  Conclusions. 

In  ohapters  II,  III,  IV,  a somewhat  extended  statement  has  been 
made  relative  to  the  history  and  organization  of  the  Amerioan  Lyceum*  Begin- 
ning in  1826,  in  Massachusetts,  the  movement  spread  rapidly  and  widely  during 
little  more  than  a deoade.  It  was  a movement  of  the  people  for  popular’  and 
mutual  education,  with  a persistent  and  comprehensive  interest  in  publio  or 
ooionon  school  education.  The  meetings  of  the  society  were  frequent,  either 
weekly  or  bi-weekly,  during  the  larger  part  of  the  year,  and  the  subjeot  dis- 
cussed most  frequently  was  some  phase  of  the  oommon  school  problem.  The 
national  meetings  were,  in  fact,  educational  conventions,  although  it  was  only 
the  last  one  that  was  oalled  by  that  name. 

As  indicated  in  Chapter  I,  during  the  earlier  years  of  the  century  and 
on  into  the  second  quarter,  there  were  almost  no  effeotive  school  laws,  and 
very  little  effective  school  practioe*  Responsible  supervision  was  lacking, 
and  there  was  no  uniformity  in  supervision,  teaching, or  in  the  tools  and 
equipment  for  school  work.  Districts  were  self-sufficient  and  independent  in 
matters  of  money,  sohool  program,  and  in  every  other  school  interest.  Into 
this  untoward  oondition  the  Amerioan  Lyceum  was  injected,  demanding  reform  in 
every  fundamental  feature  of  the  eduoational  spirit  and  machinery.  The  lyceum 
was  an  agitator  with  the  loud  but  inarticulate  voice  of  the  agitator  part 
of  the  tune,  but  with  the  clarion  voice  of  the  prophet  sounding  in  every  city, 
town,  and  hamlet  most  of  the  time*  The  demands  of  the  lyceum  were  heard  finally, 


, 


I 


53 


and,  supplemented  and  enforoed  by  other  similar  agenoies,  oalled  into  being 
the  American  Institute  of  Instruction,  the  Massachusetts,  and  other.  State 
Boards  of  Eduoation,  Normal  Sohools,  and  other  long-  and  much-needed  school 
machinery.  State  leaders  of  educational  foroes  were  selected  and  set  to  a 
worthy  task.  Additional  periodical  literature  was  printed  and  generously  dis- 
tributed. Education  won  new  and  able  friends,  and  the  Common  Sohool  Revival  was 
on.  The  lyceum  did  not  aooomplish  it  all,  but  an  organization  that  touohed 
regularly  and  intimately  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people  with  a oonstant  and  con- 
sistent disoussion  of  the  subjeot  of  eduoation  certainly  had  some  part  in  se- 
curing a more  substantial  interest  in  and  a more  sympathetic  attitude  toward 
public  education. 


Appendix  I 


The  Modern  Lyoeum  and  Chautauqua. 

According  to  a statement  in  The  Dial,  the  history  of  popular  leoturing 
in  this  country  would  seem  to  fall  into  three  periods:  “the  first,  roughly 
bounded,  ends  with  the  civil  war;  the  seoond,  some  twelve  years  ago;  while 
the  third  is  still  with  us."1  Apparently,  the  later  leoture  period  of  the 
lyeeum  is  taken  as  the  beginning  of  this  long  period  of  popular  lecturing.  The 
local  lyeeum,  as  presented  in  the  preceding  chapters,  became  an  organization  to 
secure  leoturers  for  the  villages  and  oities,  and  the  annual  lecture  oourse 
became  an  established  feature  of  Amerioan  intellectual  and  oultural  life. 
Emerson,  the  first  professional  leoturer,  spoke  ninety-eight  times  before  the 
Conoord  lyeeum,  and  in  Salem  every  year  for  twenty  years.  He  said  "My  pulpit 
is  the  lyeeum  platform." 

When  James  Redpath  and  George  I.  Fall  established  the  Boston  Lyceum 
Bureau  in  1S6S,  a practical  recognition  was  given  to  the  ohange  that  had  taken 
place  in  the  management  of  organizations  for  practical  and  popular  improvement. 
Before  that  time  each  local  sooiety  or  committee  went  into  the  open  leoture  and 
entertainment  market  and  selected  the  speakers  for  their  formal,  pub li ^programs . 
With  the  advent  of  the  lyoeum  bureau,  the  market  was  centralized  and  committees 
would  go,  not  to  the  leoturer  himself,  but  to  his  manager,  the  bureau*  This 
simplified  the  procedure  by  putting  it  on  a business  basis,  and  it  also  proved 
to  be  an  economical  arrangement  in  time  and  money.  The  publicists,  reformers, 

1 .Mark  Lee~Luther  , Dial,  Vo  1.25,  P‘291,  1W* 


. 


' 


i 


• M 


55 


and  leaders  in  every  field  of  thought  toured  the  oountry  under  the  direotion 
of  the  lyoeum  bureaus  to  speak  in  the  towns  where  they  had  been  "sold."  They 
were  the  magazines  and  propagandists  of  their  day.  The  leaders  in  many  of  the 
great  sooial  movements  of  the  nineteenth  oentury  were  prominent  on  the  leoture 
platform.  John  B.  Gough,  leader  in  temperance  agitation,  leotured  many  times 
on  "The  Power  of  Example,"  "Sooial  Responsibilities,"  "Sooial  Drinking  Customs," 
and  "The  Duty  of  the  Intemperate."  Wendell  Phillips,  following  his  great  oam- 
paign  against  slavery,  during  whioh  he  refused  any  compensation,  next  took  up 
the  labor  problems.  Mary  A.  Livermore  also  lectured  on  the  labor  question, 
and  was  a pioneer  in  the  Aiovement  for  woman's  suffrage.  Anna  Eliza  Young, 
nineteenth  wife  of  Brigham  Young,  leotured  against  Mormonism  in  the  seventies. 
Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton,  and  Susan  B.  Anthony  lectured  widely  on  woman's  rights. 

A few  of  the  other  earlier  and  more  prominent  leoturerson  the  lyceum  platform 
were:  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  James  Russell  Lowell,  Louis  Agassiz,  Horace  Greeley, 
Charles  Sumner,  Charles  Francis  Adams,  Daniel  Webster,  Horaoe  Mann,  Edward 
Everett  Hale,  and  Henry  Ward  Beecher.  These  are  simply  the  outstanding  represen- 
tatives of  a large  group  of  men  and  women  who  sought  by  means  of  the  public  plat- 
form to  improve  the  general  condition  of  the  human  family.  They  were  sincere  and 
delivered  a worthy  message.  Beecher  probably  announced  their  creed  when  he  said, 
"I  believe  in  giving  people  what  they  ought  to  have  as  long  as  they  will  stand 
for  it,  then  I give  them  what  they  want."  The  New  York  Graphio,  in  1S77,  sized 
up  the  lyceum  movement  of  that  time  as  being  composed  of  "poets,  generals, 
politicians,  travelers,  hunters,  novelists,  heroes,  exiles,  and  martyrs." 

With  the  coming  of  the  central  or  bureau  management  oame  also  a 
variety  of  “numbers'?  on  the  course,  and,  in  many  instances,  a lower  standard  of 
"talent."  It  does  not  follow  that  the  oentral  bureaus  were  responsible  for  the 
decline,  although  many  of  the  minor  ones  were  not  careful  and  reliable  in  their 


' 


' 


' 


56 


selections  and  recommendations ; but  the  desire  to  please  the  people  influenced 
the  local  oommittees  and  frequently  the  element  of  instruction  was  saorifioed 
for  entertainment.  The  extent  to  whioh  this  cheapening  process  went  is  sug- 
gested in  The  Nation,  1&69.  "We  would  advise,  ( oommittees ) in  making  arrange- 
ments next  year,  to  restriot  their  invitations  to  specialists  of  established 
reputation,  men  who  either  have  completely  mastered  some  subjeot  and  speak  on  it 
with  generally  recognized  authority,  or  men  who  are  gifted  with  great  powers 
of  statement  and  apply  them  suooessfully  to  a particular  class  of  subjeots;  and 
to  esohew  the  simple  rhetorioian  who  is  ready  to  treat  any  theme  at  a hundred 
dollars  an  hour.  The  body  to  which  he  belongs  is  one  which  is  growing  prodigious- 
ly, and  its  influence,  whether  exerted  through  the  platform,  the  magazine,  or 
the  wholesome  and  independent  family  paper,  is  producing  the  worst  effeots  on 
the  tender  and  susceptible  minds  of  both  Edward  and  Almira."1 

Perhaps  the  great  increase  in  lyoeum  or  leoture  bureaus  and  the  almost 
innumerable  leoture  or  "star"  courses  have  each  made  some  contribution  to  the 
decline  in  the  character  of  the  programs  offered.  The  high  standards  set  by 
the  founders  of  the  early  bureaus  have  not  always  been  ^maintained  by  the  more 
local  agencies.  All  bureaus  oould  not  have  the  great  leaders  of  thought  on  their 
lists,  and  the  leading  platform  men  oould  visit  only  a few  places  in  the  oourse 
of  a year.  Accordingly,  looal  bureaus  would  engage  speakers  and  entertainers  to 
supply  the  demand  of  a less  discriminating  public.  The  World's  Work  mentions  as 
the  principal  bureaus:  Redpath,  Mutual,  Co  it.  Alkahest,  Central,  Eastern,  White, 
Midland,  Davidson,-  and  about  forty  smaller  agencies.  The  same  artiole  also 
points  out  that  the  "talent"  have  their  union,  the  International  Lyceum 
Association,  whioh  is  made  up  of  762  members.  These  agenoies  and  the  union,  per- 
haps with  some  non-union  talent,  supplied  approximately  twelve  thousand  village 


1 The  Nation,  Vol.ff,  p.271,  16T69 


. 


- 


57 


and  small  oity  lyoeums  in  1912.  The  lecturers,  according  to  the  author  of  the 
article,  were  divided  into  two  classes:  1,  the  man  who  has  accomplished  something, 
and  leotures  incidentally  to  tell  it,  and,  2,  the  man  or  woman  who  can  tell  any- 
thing in£  pleasing  and  forceful  manner.1  The  period  of  decline  was  character- 
ized as  "a  string  of  entertainments  that  iiave  no  earnest  purpose,  and  minister  to 
no  manly  and  womanly  want."  In  connection  with  the  quotation  just  given  is  the 
suggestion  that  the  high  prioes  paid  leoturers  and  entertainers  brought  an  influx 
of  medioority  into  the  field  whioh  degraded  the  lyceum  system.  Colonel  T.W. 
Higginson  notes  that  "the  scholar  reoedes  from  sight,  and  the  impassioned  orator 
takes  his  plaoe."  Also,  musio  and  operatic  effeots,  together  with  vaudeville 
performances  of  doubtful  merit,  are  offered  to  relieve  the  tedium  of  the  lectures. 

The  advent  of  the  magazine,  exploiting  every  known  oause  and  championing 
every  known  reform,  had  a tendency  to  supplant  the  spoken  word  of  the  platform 
leoturer.  It  was  argued  that  the  times  were  degenerate  because  the  people  would 
not  listen  to  the  serious  lectures  as  in  other  days,  but  the  premises  do  not 
warrant  the  conclusion.  The  people  were  not  indifferent  to  the  serious 

business  of  life,  but  were  receiving  their  information  and  mental  stimulus  through 
other  channels.  The  reformers  spoke  through  the  press  and  thus  increased  greatly 
their  sphere  of  influence.  The  change  that  some  thought  indicated  degeneracy  was, 
in  faot,  a kind  of  evidence  that  the  public  demanded  something  even  better  than 
the  spoken  word,-  the  written  word  that  could  be  preserved  and  reviewed. 

As  a part,  and  an  increasingly  popular  part,  of  the  modern  lyceum  and 
lecture  movement  is  the  Chautauqua.  This  was  begun  as  a campmeet ing  at  Chautauqua 
iiew  York,  in  1&71.  In  1&74  the  character  of  the  meetings  was  modified  and  it 
became  a Sunday  Sohool  Assembly.  This  was  done  through  the  efforts  of  John  H. , 
later  Bishop,  Vincent,  and  Lewis  filler,  an  Ohio  manufacturer.  In  the  beginning 

1.  French  Strother,  Worldb  Work,  Vol.24-,  p«551>  1912. 


, 

- 

•• 


" 


58 

it  was  a movement  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church . In  lff7£,  the  Chautauqua 
Heading  Cirole  was  begun,  and  in  1 885  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  were  enrolled 
as  students  in  this  reading  oircle.  Thus,  the  Chautauqua,  begun  as  a religious 
movement,  has  become  a large  part  of  the  general  lecture  movement  for  moral, 
oultural,  and  intellectual  ends.  Like  the  later  lyoeuiu  programs,  there  has  been  a 
tendency  to  froth  in  the  Chautauqua  movement,  but  many  attempts  are  made  to 
eliminate  this  element  for  the  worthier  numbers  and  talent. 

One  of  the  latest  statements  relative  to  the  extent  of  the  Chautauqua 
and  lyceurn  movement  is  to  the  effect  that  there  are  between  ten  and  fifteen 
thousand  lyceurn  courses  and  almost  nine  thousand  Chautauquas  in  the  United  States; 
that  approximately  fifteen  million  people  attended  the  lyceurn  numbers  in  one  year, 
and  that  the  total  number  in  Chautauqua  audiences  in  1920  was  about  thirty-five 
million;  that  there  were  $10,000,000  in  receipts  from  lyceurn  courses,  and 
$20,000,000  from  the  Chautauquas  in  one  year;  that  about  thirty  per  cent  of  the 
"numbers"  given  were  leotures,  and  that  on  the  Chautauqua  platform  the  aggregate 
number  of  lectures  was  46.36S  for  1920. 1 

Dr.  Paul  M.  Pearson,  Swarthmore,  Pennsylvania,  says  of  the  Chautauqua: 
"Its  program  is  patriotic  but  non-partisan,  its  teachings  are  always  clearly  moral 
but  never  sectarian.  Without  'regard  to  class,  oreed,  party  or  social  stratifica- 
tion, its  gospel  is  always  of  genuine  uplift  and  broadening  vision."  Roosevelt 
remarked:  "I  know  of  nothing  in  the  whole  country  which  is  so  filled  with  blessing 
for  the  nation.  There  is  probably  no  other  educational  influence  in  the  country 
quite  so  fraught  with  hope  as  the  Chautauqua  and  the  movement  of  which  it  is  the 
arohtype ." 


1.  W.R.Balch,  Boston  Transoript , Jan. 29, 1921 


IU  y ' 


. 


• * 


- 


. 


59 


Lecturers1 

Adams,  Charles  Francis 

Greeley,  Horace 

Adler,  Dr.  Felix 

Hale,  Edward  Everett 

Agassiz,  Louis 

Higginson,  Col.  T.  W. 

Aloott,  A. a. 

Holmes,  O.W. 

Anthony,  Susan  B. 

Howe,  Julia  Ward 

Arnold,  Matthew 

Ingersoll,  Rob't  G. 

Banks,  Gen. Nathaniel 

James,  Henry 

Beeoher,  Henry  Ward 

Kennan,  George 

Blaine,  James  G. 

King,  Star 

Billings,  Josh. 

Livermore,  Mary  A. 

Burdette,  Bob. 

Lowell,  JamesRussell 

Butler,  Ben. 

McCace,  Chaplain 

Cable,  Geo.W. 

McCarthy,  Justin 

Collyer,  Robert 

Nasby,  Petroleum  V. 

Colfax,  Sohuyler 

Nast,  Thomas 

Cook,  Joseph 

Nye,  Bill 

Curtis,  Geo.Wm. 

O'Reilley,  John  Boyle 

Cushman,  Charlotte 

Parsons,  Hon.  Wm. 

Dana,  R.H. 

Peary,  Rob't  E. 

Dickenson,  Anna 

Phillips,  Wendell 

Douglass,  Frederick 

Pickering,  Prof. 

Eggleston,  Edward 

Potter,  Helen 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo 

Riley,  James  Whitcomb 

Garrison,  Wm.  Lloyd 

Sohurz,  Carl 

Gough,  John  B. 

Stanley,  Henry  M. 

l.The  lecturers  in  this  list  belong  almost  wholly  to  the  later  lyceum  and 
Chautauqua  period,  beginning  about  1SM-0. 


' 


Stanton,  Elizabeth  Cady 
Stoddard,  John  L. 
Sumner,  Charles 
Talmadge,  T.  DeWitt 
Taylor,  Bayard 
Thoreau,  Henry  D. 
Tilton,  Theo. 

Trourgee,  Albion  W. 
Trowbridge,  T.J. 

Twain,  Mark 
Wallaoe,  Lew 
Watterson,  Henry 
Whipple,  E .P. 


Young,  Ann  Eliza 


/ 


61 

Appendix  II 

List  of  Lyoeums  1 
Amerioan  or  National 
Ashby,  Massachusetts 
Baltimore,  Maryland 
Beriah  Saored  Lyceum,  New  York  City 
Boston,  Massachusetts 
Boston  Mechanics  Lyoeum 
Brooklyn,  Connecticut 
Bucks  County  Pennsylvania 
Bucks  County  Teachers'  Lyoeum,  Pennsylvania 
Buffalo,  New  York 
Cincinnati,  Ohio 

Clerical  Lyceum,  New  England  Methodist  Conference 

Concord,  Massachusetts 

Connecticut  State 

Darby,  Connecticut 

Detroit,  Michigan 

Dover,  New  Hampshire 

East  Baltimore,  Maryland 

Exohange  Lyceum,  New  York  City 

Gardiner,  Maine 

Geneva,  New  York 

1 • list  includes  only  those  considered  in  this  study.  Mi*.  Holbrook  reported 
at  IVestohester , Pa.,  on  August  18,  1 835,  that  there  were  in  the  United  States 
"A  National  Lyceum,  fifteen  or  sixteen  state  lyoeums,  over  one  hundred  county 
lyceums,  and  about  three  thousand  village  lyoeums."  Only  the  location  of  the 
lyoeums  is  given,  except  in  a few  instances  the  character  is  indicated. 


' 


German  Lyoeums  in  following  oounties  in  Pennsylvania:  Berks, 
Buoks,  Cumberland,  Lancaster,  Montgomery. 

Hartford,  Connecticut 
Illinois  State 
Jacksonville,  Illinois 
Jacksonville,  Indiana 
Juvenile  Lyoeum,  New  Brunswiok 
Juvenile  Lyoeum,  New  York  City 

Lyoeum  League  of  America.  Organized  under  auspices  of  the 
Youths  Companion 
Lyceum  of  Teachers,  Philadelphia 
Lyceum  Village  of  Berea,  Ohio 
Louisville,  Kentucky 
Massachusetts  State 
Marietta,  Ohio 

Middlesex  County,  Massachusetts 
Millbury,  Massachusetts 
Montpelier,  Vermont 
Newark,  New  Jersey 

Newarks  Mechanic  Association  and  Lyceum 

New  Bedford,  Massachusetts 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 

New  Jersey  State 

Newton,  Massachusetts 

New  York  State 

North  Adams,  Massachusetts 

Northern  Lyoeum  of  Philadelphia 


. 


' 


63 


Ontario  County,  New  York 
Pennsylvania  State 
Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania 
Plymouth,  Massachusetts 
Rochester,  New  York 
Rutland  County,  Vermont 
Salem,  Massachusetts 
St • Johnsbury,  Vermont 
Tennessee  State 
United  States  Naval 
Utica,  New  York 
Walpole,  Massachusetts 
Waltham,  Massachusetts 
Washington,  D.C. 

Williamstown,  Massachusetts 
Windham  County,  Connecticut 
Worcester,  Massachusetts 
Worcester  County,  Massachusetts 


■ 


■ 


. 


- 


64 


Men  who  were  prominent  in  the  Lyceum  Movement,  1&26-1&40. 
Forty-four  names  in  the  list  appear  in  Lippincott’s  Pronouncing  Biographical 
Dictionary.  Others  are  known  to  have  been  very  prominent  in  education. 


Alcott,  Dr.  A.B. 

Lowell,  Charles 

Ashmun,  J.H. 

Ma  loom, Howard 

Baboook,  Rufus 

Mann,  Horaoe 

Bailey,  E. 

Merrill,  J.c. 

Barnard,  Henry 

Real,  John 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Josiah 

Olmstead,  Prof .Denison 

Bigelow,  J.P. 

Peabody,  Francis 

Bowdoin,  J. 

Peers,  Rev.B.O.  * 

Bradley,  Rev. 

Phillips,  Stephen  C. 

Brooks,  Charles 

Pond,  Enoch 

Carter,  J.G. 

Proudfit,  Alexander 

Channing,  Dr.  Wm.  E. 

Rand,  Rev.  Asa 

Chapin,  Rev.  A.B. 

Rensselaer, Hon. Stephen  von 

Choate,  Rufus 

Ridgeley,  Rev.G.W. 

Cleveland,  Nehemiah 

Russell,  Wm. 

Colburn,  Warren 

Sargent,  Nathan 

Davis,  Seth 

Schoolcraft,  Henry  R. 

Day,  Pres.  Jereiuiah 

Sharfc,  Daniel 

Dewey,  Prof.  Chester 

Shattuck,  Lemuel  S. 

Duer,  Wm.  A. 

Shaw,  Oliver  A. 

Dwight,  Theodore 

Snelling,  G.H. 

Emerson,  G.B. 

Sumner,  Charles 

Emerson,  R.W. 

Totten,  Pres. 

Everett,  A.H. 

tJpham,  Rev.  C.W. 

Everett,  Edward 

Vaux,  Robert 

Farrar,  John 

Walker,  Rev.  James 

Fay,  Warren 

Ward,  Malthus  A. 

Felton,  Cornelius  C. 

Ware,  Henry 

Field,  Rev. Dr. 

Washburn,  Emory 

Finley,  Wm.  P. 

Way  land.  Prof.  Francis 

Flint,  Rev.  Timothy 

Webb,  Jonathan 

Foote,  Caleb 

Weob,  Stephen  P. 

Forrest,  Wm. 

Webster,  Daniel 

Frelinghuysen,  Theodore 

Weeks,  Rev. Dr. 

Frost,  H.R. 

White,  Hon.  Daniel  A. 

Dallaudet,  R0v.  T.H. 

Wilder,  Jonas 

Green,  Samuel 

Williams,  Judge  Charles  K. 

Grirnke,  Thos.S. 

Wisner,  B.B. 

Grisoom,  John 

Woodbridge,  Wm.C. 

Holbrook,  Josiah 

Woods , Alva 

Howe,  Samuel  M. 

Yates,  Gov.  N.Y. 

Jackson,  Wm. 

Jenks,  Wm. 

Johnson,  Gen. 

Lincoln,  Levi,  Gov.  Mass. 

Linds ley,  Philip 

Lovering,  W. 

/ 


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65 


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